Maelstrom Among the Elements
by TheAmateurAJ
Summary: Ending the Fourth Shinobi World War, Uzumaki Naruto awakens in a new world in confusion. With no way of getting back to the Elemental Nations and a new destiny laid before him, he must help his newfound friends and family to save the world from the Fire Nation. Strong/Rinnegan/EMS Naruto. M for Safety.
1. A New Beginning

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

**AN: Hello there! I'm AJ and this is the first time I attempted to write anything without the reason being an assignment for school. I've been reading fics for a couple of years now and just decided to take a shot at it with the hopes that I don't fail **_**too **_**badly. Well, I doubt you're interested in this so I'll just proceed with the chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

Azure eyes fluttered open to the unfamiliar terrain and hazily took everything in. They slowly moved from left to right with nothing but white to be presented within their field of vision. With visible and somewhat heavy masculine breaths being the only sound to hit the owner's ears along with a quiet breeze, this person seemed to be male.

_'Where am I?' _He thought as the blue eyes blinked away what remaining blurriness that was obscuring their sight.

That was when he registered the cold embrace surrounding his prone form.

_'Snow?' _He thought as his gloved hands gripped a handful of said substance and let go after a few moments, letting the small pieces of white to return to the soft ground. His mind, while still hazy, was able to think back to the mission he undertook in Yuki no Kuni, otherwise formerly known as the Land of Snow before becoming Haru no Kuni when the country's snow melted from discovered heat generators and an eternal sunshine blanketed its lands.

That was one hell of mission in his opinion and was certainly something that helped fuel the fires of his determination to become stronger in order to protect his precious people. Those chakra-armored shinobi were definitely no joke and...

...Wait...

An endless amount of his thoughts started crashing together within the depths of his mind.

_'Shinobi...fighting...biju...Akatsuki...Jubi...Madara-'_

"Oh shit!" He exclaimed as he suddenly rose into a sitting position, knocking off the snow upon his torso and arms before wincing as the soreness throughout his body made itself known. He stretched his arms and felt the ache that shot from his shoulders down to his wrists. That's when he noticed the minor cuts and bruises along his forearms, but saw that whatever wounds that they used to be were nothing more than the small marks they currently were and could only assume the same could be said about the rest of his body.

_'Good old regeneration.' _He thought as he sighed before getting back to the situation at hand.

His eyes frantically looked around as he was trying to come to terms of where exactly he was at. _'Snow...snow...oh look...more snow...' _He thought bitterly as his mind was working in a frenzy.

"Okay, get your shit together and try to understand what happened." He quietly said to himself while lightly slapping his whiskered cheeks to clear his thoughts. He proceeded to comb his hand through his spiky sun-kissed blonde hair as bits of more snow fell to the ground. "Alright, the Jubi was absorbed into Madara...shit hit the fan...again...and-" his voice suddenly became a coughing fit as a snowflake floated into his mouth.

_'What the hell?!' _He coughed and spat to the side as he was trying to get the nasty taste that attacked his tongue. _'Since when do snowflakes taste like that?!'_

After quickly regaining his bearings, he looked up into the grey sky as a most unusual force of nature was occurring. _'Black snow?' _Indeed there were dots of black falling onto the white surface and mixed in giving the surrounding area a slight feeling of bad foreboding.

Putting his task of figuring out how his current location aside, he enhanced his senses with his chakra to find any sort of activity that would lead to this strange phenomenon or to just find any source of life. Closing his eyes as he focused, he picked up a decent amount of muffled shouting to his left, along with plenty of energy signatures that can't _quite _be classified as chakra, but still similar nonetheless.

He groggily got up to his feet and proceeded to walk at a slow pace with a 'crunch' being made with every step. He wasn't quite sure if there was an emergency situation occurring, but even with the desire to get to the unknown location quickly, his body just didn't want to cooperate as it seemed his energy was running low. He just had to deal with his slow pace and hope for the best. _'Please let everything be okay; just one day of peace isn't too much to ask for, is it?'_

Oh if only he knew where his life was heading to now...

* * *

There was panic everywhere in the fairly sized and normally peaceful community of the Southern Water Tribe. People were running around for cover with hopes of not being a prime target of the invaders with their unforgiving and merciless flames that didn't seem to ever end.

Sure, there were those that fought back with whatever tools they could get their hands such as clubs mostly found within the grasp of their warriors or even the spears normally used for fishing rather than fighting. However, it seemed as all of their efforts were for naught as the armored clad firebenders pushed forward with nothing but a successful mission on their minds and promised terror held within their eyes through red masks covering the upper portion of their faces.

It was at this sight where a cute little eight-year-old girl with light brown skin, dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes was running around frantically with an objective that she couldn't afford to fail. Her well-known hair 'loopies' were swaying in the air as her terrified visage looked around for the person she desperately needed.

After a few more moments of weaving through broken tents, igloos, and small skirmishes, she found her desired target and quickly ran up to him. Right before she made herself known, the man threw a firebender into a nearby pile of snow and currently held a face that showed that he was no stranger to these kinds of fights. He looked as he always did with his light brown skin, chin-length brown hair and a small _wolf _tail tied behind his head and wore a heavy blue coat that protected him from the cold much like her own. Two longer strands of hair each held by a single blue bead swayed next to his right cheek and bearded jawline as he followed through with the take-down of the before mentioned firebender.

This man is known as chief Hakoda, a strong warrior and the village leader as shown by his title. However, to a couple of small children he is known as-

"Dad! Dad!" Hakoda quickly looked up to his young daughter on a small nearby snowy ridge with immense fear and panic glowing in her eyes.

_'Katara?' _Hakoda thought.

"Please! I think mom is in trouble! There's a man in our house!" Katara shouted desperately.

"Kya!" Hakoda yelled in worry as he instantly started at a dead sprint towards his home with Katara not far behind. They passed by the various tents and igloos that Katara just trekked through, but barely paid them any mind. Explosive fire support shot from a distance on the other side of the defensive wall surrounding the village and impacted in random parts of the community. One could easily guess that it all came from the invaders' ships with the bird-clad flag representing the Southern Raiders. However, none of the chaos surrounding the pair mattered as the only goal in their sights is securing the safety of their beloved wife/mother.

They soon came upon their modest igloo and quickly pushed the tarp acting as a door out of the way...but it was already too late. The various sets of furniture, clothing, and miscellaneous items inside were in disarray as if they were either destroyed or knocked around to enforce fear for the lone occupant inside.

Katara and her father didn't have to wait even a second before their eyes glanced upon the prone, still form of Kya on the middle of the floor. For the longest time in their perspective, they just simply stared. Various emotions exploded in their blue eyes with neither moving an inch and stood frozen as if they experienced the coldest and harshest winter yet. Moisture built up at the corners of their eyes before tears fell freely down their cheeks before dripping to the ground. As the first tear from Katara made contact with the floor, she snapped out of her trance upon hearing the very quiet 'drip', and ran to her mother with a choked sob and yelled in unconstrained fright.

"Mom!"

* * *

The blonde finally managed to make it where the commotion was at, albeit slowly and with a small limp. He continued to walk until he reached the top of the ash-covered hill he was now standing on and just stood still. From his viewpoint, he was overlooking the now revealed panicked village situated near the open ocean. The sight of fire raining down upon the frightened, defenseless people made his thoughts run a mile a minute. _'Who are all these people and who is attacking them?'_

He got his answer when a few similarly dressed men came around a few burned tents. He first noticed their black and red cloak-like armor which just seemed as only being a way to keep warm instead of protecting their bodies from potential attacks, although it did look pretty reinforced and could keep more thin armor underneath. Their helmets were mostly black and round with a red mask covering their foreheads, eyes, and the sides of their craniums. It gave them a bird-like appearance with the mask looking similar to wings. Their mouths, however, remained unprotected. The last part of their outfit was the black pants with pointy boots that reached below their knees and matched the color scheme of their torso.

What really brought attention to them was the prepared balls of fire surrounding their hands before they launched said fire at multiple tents and igloos behind the escaping villagers and prepared more for their next attack.

_'No hand signs?' _The man mentally asked himself as he watched more homes and equipment being set ablaze. _'I got to do something!' _However, any plan of stopping them halted as he heard the distant orders to retreat. He scoffed in irritation and decided to find a way past the wall. As he was about walk down the hill, his foot went into a small hole that was a _tad _too deep and lost his balance. The result...a violently cursing blonde man as he rolled down the unforgiving white fluffy surface. What made his stumble more interesting was that his voice was muffled every other second. It would have been humorous in a way if not for the dreadful atmosphere radiating in the air.

Once he was given mercy by reaching the bottom he let out a strained, "Damn it..."

As he pulled himself from the snow for the second time that day, he noticed a hole in the surrounding wall, most likely caused from the long range fire support from the ships that were currently leaving the village's shores. He slowly made his way through the recently damaged wall and took in his surroundings.

Fear and destruction...that's basically all he could pick up from the people and the environment itself. Homes were destroyed and people were trying to get those that were injured treatment; it was just a chaotic site in front of him, not the worst he's seen, but still had the less than desired effect of dread.

It took a little time to take in as much as he could stand before proceeding forward at a small and even pace while slowly looking around. The people took notice of him after a little bit and instantly became cautious. Mothers huddled their children behind them for protection, father's readied themselves in any way they could just in case this new stranger became hostile, and everyone else simply found cover or tended to the wounded. He couldn't blame them, especially after this attack and considering he was also a complete stranger to everyone with unknown intentions.

As he walked by he heard the people mutter and whisper things like "Who is that?" and "Is he with the Fire Nation?" Once that was uttered, they all looked like they were either ready to run or fight at an instant. He could only hope no one saw him as an immediate threat to be taken care of.

It was at that thought that he heard the crying shouts of a child and the muffled voice of a man from a nearby igloo that managed to stay intact. Despite his better judgement to not intrude since it seemed all the fire wielding men were gone, he made his way towards the tarped entrance. As he stopped in front of it he heard a the child's voice again. "We have to get her help dad!" She said in between sobs, "She won't last much longer!"

The blonde heard an exhausted sigh escape the lips of who he now knew to be the girl's father. "Katara...I... I don't..."

"You don't what?" She said meekly as if afraid to hear what he was trying to say.

The whiskered man then slightly pushed the tarp ajar to let him get a small peek inside without alerting them of his presence. As he looked on he saw the girl named Katara standing in front of her father while behind him was obviously the immobile woman they were fretting about. He couldn't see much of her, but he saw a few burned fragments of clothing with blood on them and other drops staining the floor around her body.

_'Oh no...' _

Hakoda dropped in front of Katara on his right knee while gently grabbing her shoulders and looking at her with similar red, puffy eyes. "Sweetie...listen to me," her attention was entirely focused on his grief-stricken eyes, "Y-your mother...is...is at peace now...she's not hurting anymore." He sorrowfully said as he slightly shook his head to hold back surfacing tears. He had to be strong for his daughter.

Katara didn't respond at first as she stared at him unable to fully process what she was just told. It seemed like an eternity until the tears and sobs came back full force as her father held her in a tight embrace with her face in the crook of his neck. He let a couple streams of water escape his own eyes as well while they were tightly closed.

The whiskered blonde felt his heart ache at the scene. Even though he's seen numerous deaths throughout his career, he couldn't entirely ignore them or he really couldn't entirely see himself as a sane person. He _especially_ couldn't fend off the sadness taking over his emotions when he just witnessed an innocent child experience a horror such as this. Even with the lack of a constant parental figure in his life, he understood the pain of losing loved ones. The pain will always be there, no matter how much one comes to terms with it or how much time passes. This had to be learned the hard way...

_'I should've gotten here sooner! I could've at least had an attempt to help her!' _Despite this family being complete strangers in an unknown place, he couldn't help but feel frustrated at what he could have done. Others would simply console with him and say that it wasn't his fault and he couldn't control the situation. He, however, would say otherwise. He was a an awesome shinobi, damn it! He had the right potential, skills, and he fought through all the obstacles set in front of him and accomplished what everyone deemed impossible for him!

He even made a supposed murderous and heartless missing-nin bawl his eyes out after a few passionate words! Who the hell can say they did the same?!

He didn't know if it was because of his risingly heating thoughts, but there was a tiny nudging at the back of his conscience telling him to go inside. Of course he started to resist that idea, but he always followed his instincts and he's done well so far, right?!...

...Even though it wasn't _exactly _his plan to find himself in a completely unknown village among a type of populous he hasn't seen before...almost completely drained of energy...sore...completely unprepared for any sudden confrontation...you get the point!

He just had to find reassurance in knowing that his trusty gut was always there when his life depended on it.

With a bated breath he hesitantly pushed the tarp out of the way and stepped inside. He didn't really get much farther than that with his hesitance keeping him unmoving as he awkwardly stood there trying to decide if going inside would accomplish anything or if he should escape quickly. _'What the hell am I doing?! There is nothing left that I can do for her! What am I supposed to say? 'Oh sorry your loved one died and I'm interrupting this emotional moment, but I offer my condolences and please completely disregard I'm a total stranger and you don't know how I got here.' Yup...absolutely smooooth,' _he thought sarcastically.

Either fortunately or unfortunately, his presence was detected and he froze where he stood like a deer caught in the headlights.

Hakoda stiffened as his eyes shot open and took in the stranger standing in front of him. He stood at a height of an even six feet and his spiky blonde hair certainly stood out. He doubted he's seen even a few if _any_ people at all with that hair color. It's like it was being constantly hugged by the sun! However, it seemed slightly tainted with sweat and grime as if he just got done with fighting someone or going through some sort of rigorous training.

His eyes then caught his attention as they were like deep pools of blue not unlike his daughter, but they had a certain... allure about them. He knew a hardened warrior when he saw one, especially if you got a good look in their eyes, despite the current panic showcasing itself within his dialating pupils. This individual has certainly seen and experienced the worst things this world had to offer. This gave him all the more reason to defend himself and Katara at a moment's notice. There was, however, a sense of understanding and remorse. Regardless, he will remain on guard. He wasn't going to lose anyone else!

As he observed the rest of his face he saw something very unusual. _'Are those whiskers?" _Indeed there were three whisker marks on each cheek. The only explanation he could come up with is that they were tattoos or a birthmark, but how are these types of birthmarks possible?

He then took in his clothing which have definitely seen better days. His red haori with black flames lining the bottom hem and edges of its short sleeves were dirtied and damaged. A long-sleeved black shirt with a single dark orange stripe traveled from his wrist to shoulder, then went down his sides, had holes and tears where it was visible and over that was a black flak jacket with many useful pockets. What caught his eye on it was a rectangular piece of metal that held a symbol he hasn't seen before. He guessed it was deemed important as he noticed it was placed over the man's heart. Upon his hands were fingerless black gloves and they each held the same symbolized metal that seemed to be used for protection and enhancing punches. Although his left hand held the same symbol that was on his chest while the right had a swirl instead. None of this was able to hide that the man had a lean but muscular frame that seemed primarily used for speed.

He also adorned black cargo pants taped at his ankles while they were tucked into black combat boots. A pouch was attached to his right thigh to hold items for quick access and he could barely see what seemed to be a larger pouch held at the back of his hip. Just like the clothing on his upper body, they were all scruffled and could use some repairs. The only piece of clothing that wasn't visible was the necklace holding a special green crystal tucked into his shirt.

After Hakoda's observation was done he abruptly stood up alerting Katara of the the mysterious man's appearance.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" Hakoda demanded as he held Katara behind him.

"I...uh..." He was simply at a loss for words and started to fidget on the spot.

Katara then peeked around her father's leg and got a good look at the man intruding in her home. Who was he? Where did he come from? He obviously wasn't from their tribe. _'Is that fire on his clothing? Fire Nation?' _At that thought she slightly moved back into her father's guard and gripped his pants tighter.

"It...it's just," he continued as glanced at Kya. "I'm lost right now and just felt...I don't know." He nervously rubbed the back of his head and averted his gaze from the chief and made contact with the sad and afraid blue orbs of Katara. He sent an apologetic look towards her and let out a exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry for what happened to your mother; she didn't deserve this."

While this may have put the pair at ease, even just a little bit, Hakoda narrowed his eyes, "You still didn't answer my question." He leered threatingly.

"Look," the stranger spoke again, "I have no idea how I got here or what's going on, but I felt that-" There! There was that nudging again! What does this mean? Was he supposed to do something?

He stopped speaking upon this feeling and only further made the pair curious and cautious. He looked at them, then at Kya and the mysterious feeling came back stronger. In fact, the longer he stared at her still body the stronger the nudges became and without realizing it, he was walking towards her.

Hakoda immediately got ready for a fight, "Get back or-" He and Katara suddenly gasped confusing the blonde.

He was trying to understand what was wrong until he felt it. His chakra was blazing right now! He doubted it was visible, but the aura resonating from him could be felt all around. There were even other nearby tribesmen that suddenly froze trying to process the overwhelming presence they sensed.

With Hakoda being frozen and unable to react further, the stranger continued his walk and passed the duo and stood in front of Kya. He didn't know why he walked up to her; his body just moved on its own as if on autopilot. He simply stared down at her with complete suspenseful silence. An unknown amount of time passed before the power rose in intensity and he could have sworn there was an audible 'hum' in the air; like a small vibration.

Then when it couldn't get any more strange, his eyes...just seemed to have all the mysterious power escaping from them. Words started to scratch at his mind, but they weren't clear enough to understand. They kept repeating and repeating as his gaze hardened on the Water Tribe woman.

...That's when it happened...

Without warning and no control over his own body the man yelled-

**"Gedo: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu!"**

Before anyone knew what was happening, something amazing occurred. Kya's body was illuminated in a magnificent blue and lit up the igloo. Hakoda and Katara's eyes widened as they focused on her as they finally snapped out of their daze.

Her body continued to glow for what seemed like hours before it slowly faded away leaving the awed audience in utter stillness.

A series of coughs then suddenly broke the silence, confusing them all. However, what shocked everyone was that they didn't come from Hakoda, Katara, or even the man standing quietly over the deceased...

...Or at least...that's what they thought until they traced the coughs to her.

Complete and utter shock was shown on the faces of everyone present when Kya slightly sat up using her elbow as support when she lazily looked around the room. Her tired eyes continued to glance around before they landed on two people she could never mistaken.

"...Hakoda...K-katara?" She quietly said in a raspy voice.

Tears once again built in their eyes, but instead of the guilt and grief being there before...

...There was an eruption of relief and happiness.

"Mom/Kya!" They exclaimed as they ran to her and just about tackled her before taking her a gentle and loving embrace.

A few moments was all it took before-

_THUD_

All of their attention was then brought to the momentarily forgotten blonde. They saw that he was laying on his side and looked to be fighting to stay awake if his fluttering eye lids gave anything away. That was when they felt their breaths hitch in their throats when they got a _real _good look at his eyes.

Even in his tired state he was able to register their reactions and became confused...until he was able to glance at a nearby broken piece of glass. In his reflection...all he could process was...

_'Purple...ripples...R-Rinne...' _Then he felt his vision becoming blurry and falling into sweet unconsciousness... but not before seeing the purple being replaced by a familiar blue.

* * *

(The Next Morning)

Blue eyes once again opened, but instead of the grey sky it was to a white ceiling.

He let out a sigh, _'Is me waking up in mysterious places going to become an everyday thing?' _

"Well, good morning." A soft voice spoke up.

He suddenly turned his head to the woman he believed to be dead sitting on the floor with Katara sleeping snug in her arms.

The woman's dark brown hair was still messy indicating she just couldn't be bothered with it, but was able to get into a proper change of clothing. Her eyes looked to be tired, but still at ease and not afraid of the awakened man.

There was also a little boy that seemed to be around the same age as Katara leaning against her side as he let out small snores in his slumber. He had the same clothes that everyone seemed to own here and had the same wolf tail Hakoda possessed tied behind his head except the sides of his cranium were shaven.

"Um...good morning?" He wasn't really sure how to progress the conversation further since he was still gathering his thoughts. He sat up and realized he was comfortably positioned in a blue sleeping bag with only his tattered shirt and pants on. He was about to speak again, but gave a raspy cough instead. He looked up to Kya as she nudged her head to the cup of water next to him. He understood and gave a nod in thanks before he greedily drank the water in one go and let out a sigh of relief.

"I think proper introductions should be made," Kya started, "I'm Kya, and these are my children Katara and Sokka. The man you saw yesterday was my husband Hakoda. What's your name?" She asked gently with a smile.

He looked at her in silence for a few seconds and let out a small foxy smirk.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

**Chapter End **

**AN: Well, that's it for now and I hoped you found this at least somewhat entertaining, me being new to this and all. Please let me know what you thought in a review and how I can possibly improve. **

**Oh, and Naruto in this story is stronger and knows a lot more due to a combination of taking shit seriously during the training trip and shadow clones...yeah...but he has to learn about the new culture presented to him. He's not going to be OOC or anything, just slightly altered skill-wise. At least I hope I can capture his character well.**

**Oh and can you believe I typed this on my phone during TV commercials ;)**

**Thanks for reading and until next time...**

**LATER!**


	2. The First Step Forward

Chapter 2: The First Step Forward

**AN: Wow...didn't exactly expect that much of a response and it was pretty much all positive, thank you!...well except for point that I misspelled "Jutsu"...yeah...not my best moment...thanks for that by the way...but nevertheless, I appreciate all that reviewed along with those that now follow this story. I hope I can live up to your expectations, even those that are just testing the waters of my writing. Well, enough of my gibberish that you probably skipped and on with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

"Uzumaki Naruto? That's certainly a unique name," Kya started with raised eyebrow, "But mild curiosity aside, it's very nice to meet you." She said with her gentle smile still intact.

Naruto returned it with his own. "Likewise," he said while looking her form over quickly, "You certainly seem...uh...better." He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. That was a _understatement_! It's not everyday someone is brought back to the land of the living...well...at least as far as these people knew.

It seemed his _amazing _observation bore truth as she gave him a deadpan stare. "Wow, really? I don't feel _that_ much different," she replied with heavy sarcasm, but with a hint of playfulness.

All Naruto could do was awkwardly chuckle and Kya gave a small giggle of her own.

They both saw, or in Kya's case, felt Katara stir as she started to awaken. She fluttered her sapphire eyes open and let out a small yawn. Her arms stretched to relieve tension before she began rubbing the remaining sleep from her vision. The uneven surface she was laying on caught her attention before slowly looking up to the smiling face of her mother.

"Mom!" Katara then hugged her as tight as her small arms would allow and basked in her warmth. "It wasn't a dream!" Her voice muffled by her face buried in Kya's bosom, yet she sounded like she was struggling to hold back tears. "I t-thought you were really gone!"

Kya hugged her back lovingly. "I'm not going anywhere." she whispered while closing her eyes and adding more pressure to the embrace.

A snort was heard. They all turned to attention to Sokka as he was making his own way out of the realm of dreams. As if without even noticing the present company he sat up with half-lidded eyes and drowsily walked towards the small kitchen area. The only thing he said was a lazy, "Breakfast..."

Everyone watched on as he continued his valiant quest...only to trip over leftover rubble and face plant with a loud _THUD._

No one knew how to react at first until they heard the loud sounds of muffled snoring escape from the small boy. Naruto then let out a loud laugh that amazingly enough didn't disturb Sokka's slumber. It did, however, make Katara quickly turn around and her eyes lit up in recognition.

"The magic man!"

"Huh?" Was what Naruto replied with while squinting and tilting his head to the side. Kya thought it look similar to fox; it was pretty adorable in her opinion.

Without a second to waste, Katara ran up to him and crashed into his chest making Naruto let out a small "Oof!"

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank-"

"Whoa, Whoa. Slow down for a bit! One word at a time please!" He said kindly as he sat her in front of him to see her clearly.

"It's just you- the weird feeling- then the light- my mom!" It seemed the poor girl couldn't complete a proper sentence as she waved her arms around excitingly while looking back and forth between the stranger and her mother, all the while the still audible snoring was being ignored.

She seemed to have gotten her thoughts together when she shook her head and looked back at him with a beaming smile, and eyes full of admiration. She held out her now mittenless hand. "I'm Katara!"

Naruto gave her an amusing chuckle and presented his own trademark grin. "Uzumaki Natuto," he replied while grasping her small hand and giving it a tiny shake. "Just call me Naruto, though."

She gave an affirmative nod. "Okay!"

"C'mon Katara; let Naruto rest more while you can help me fix something to eat before your father gets back." Kya then stood up, walked up to Sokka to pick him up then placed him on another nearby rolled out sleeping bag.

Katara nodded and gave Naruto one more smile before joining her mother.

"I think I'm pretty well-rested already." Naruto argued before Kya turned to look at him with a stern glare.

"Those bags under your eyes say otherwise." She shot back while placing her hands on her hips...a universal sign saying 'listen to me or else.' She wasn't lying either; Naruto's eyes seemed absolutely exhausted.

However, just like with his many female acquaintances in the past, he ignored her order. "What? I'm perfectly fine!" He scoffed in defense while crossing his arms and holding his nose in the air. "I'm full of energy! I can stay awake for days, dattebayo!" Naruto then stiffened up with a little shock on his face. "Uhhh..." He didn't know how to proceed. No matter how hard he tried, his verbal tick just wouldn't die!

"I'm just going to go to sleep now..." He said in a defeated tone while he curled up within the confines of the sleeping bag and turned his back to the Water Tribe females.

Kya and Katara just had similar confused expressions with their right eyebrows raised. Katara looked up to meet her mother's eyes and Kya just shrugged before proceeding to see what they could whip up.

Naruto shut his eyes after getting comfortable and ever so slowly fell asleep...

...While completely forgetting he had new-found powers and was still in a unknown location...

* * *

_...Her clear eyes were absolutely ruthless. Even with them seemingly empty, one could feel the power and pure emotion that could pierce any poor soul unfortunate enough to make eye contact. The horn-like appendages atop her head only seemed to enhance her overpowering aura. Her sudden appearance stunned everyone into silence as in Madara's place after Black Zetsu's betrayal..._

_...Was Otsutsuki Kaguya and she made her intentions clear._

_The way she stated the world was her "nursery" she didn't want to damage further made it seem as though she wanted the fighting to stop...and in a way she did..._

_...By sending Naruto and the others to a world of lava that she created out of nowhere. That was absolutely terrifying and for a moment they all prayed it was just a genjutsu, but sadly that wasn't the case._

_This woman...no...a goddess...had powers that even the most power hungry of individuals couldn't even fathom. _

_It was only the combined efforts of the reunited team 7 that helped them all not meet a horrifying death in the lake of fire. After using a clone and chakra arms to get the others to a relatively safe location, Naruto and Sasuke were about to take action again, but were caught by surprise when Kaguya came out of a dimensional hole behind them._

_She then reached for them as they turned around and found a hand gently cupping their chins. They were slightly surprised, but what they saw next absolutely blew their minds._

_Otsutsuki Kaguya, the princess that consumed the fruit of the Shinju..._

_...Became the progenitor of chakra..._

_...Ended all wars by using her power to strike fear into the world's inhabitants..._

_...Gave birth to two sons that she would later want to destroy using the Ten-Tails..._

_...Was sealed away by said sons and only had hope of returning by the creation of Black Zetsu..._

_...Successfully came back to take all the chakra she believed that was solely hers..._

_...Was now...openly shedding tears with a expression of extreme remorse on her regal and beautiful face..._

_Naruto and Sasuke didn't know how to react, but it's not like they could due to their inability to move their bodies thanks to Black Zetsu emerging around her arm. However, they both realized that no matter how much power she gains, how mad she becomes, or how hard she closes off her emotions to only show strength..._

_...She was still a mother devastated to have lost her children..._

_This was proven true when Black Zetsu said they reminded her of Hagoromo and Hamura. One might think it was her fault for losing her children in the first place...and they would be right...but who knows what goes through the mind of those that have completely lost it?_

_Then the truth came out about the details of Black Zetsu's plan to bring back his mother. It seemed as though the history of shinobi was built around bringing Kaguya back. After the revelation with Byakugan blazing, third eye opened, and tears still streaming down her cheeks Kaguya shakingly said, "I...hate...you...Hagoromo...Hamura...you both belong to me."_

_That's when Black Zetsu deemed his role finished and was receding himself into Kaguya's sleeve, but before they completely lost contact Naruto violently pushed her Black Zetsu-covered arm away while doing the same for Sasuke with a chakra arm. During this he said, "Of all things...you people...of all things...ARE NOT THE HISTORY OF NINJAS!" He wasn't finished. "And one more thing! A mother is happy when her children gain their independence and leave!"_

_What followed was Naruto quickly whispering his new plan to Sasuke which actually managed to make him break his 'broody battle' face._

_"You actually managed to do _that_and created _what_?!" He whispered back in disbelief._

_Naruto cheekily smiled back. "Got anything better? No way is she going to let us get close and she could always just travel through dimensions before we get the chance."_

_Sasuke just stared at him blankly before looking down, closing his eyes, and sighing in defeat. "Kami..." He looked back at him."You do realize if this works this is going to be in the history books, right?_

_Naruto simply smirked. "Think of it as a prank for future generations."_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Hn," he grunted before looking back at Kaguya, "Ready?" He asked with a side glance._

_Naruto looked back and gave him a firm nod as they both got ready for action._

_"I don't know what you're trying to do...but mother has absorbed every known jutsu. Anything you try is meaningless." Black Zetsu creepily said within the shadows of Kaguya's open sleeve._

_"__**Amaterasu!**__" Sasuke suddenly yelled and Kaguya immediately erupted in jet-black flames that would normally incinerate a human being, but the Rabbit Goddess was slowly snuffing them out._

_During this, however, Naruto was already on the move. "__**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" **__He yelled while putting his fingers in a familiar crossed hand sign. Eight clones suddenly surrounded her just as she extinguished the flames harmlessly off her body and was preparing to strike back._

_Now what happened next was...like Sasuke hinted at and Naruto happily understood...something so unpredictable and completely insane that potential shinobi and kunoichi for centuries will gawk at their teachers when they explain the defeat of Otsutsuki Kaguya, the creator of chakra and possibly the most powerful person to walk this earth._

_**"Oiroke Gyaku Hāremu no Jutsu!" (Sexy Reverse Harem Technique)**_

_Suddenly all the clones transformed into naked...attractive...men?..._

_Everyone except Sasuke were completely shocked and frozen where they stood, especially Kaguya who was now sporting a very small blush._

_Off in the distance with Kakashi, a Naruto clone, and an unconscious Obito, and Sakura who had a trail of blood escaping her nostrils, was mentally berating Naruto's new jutsu._

'Have you gone completely stupid?! What the hell kind of technique are you using at a time like this?! I mean...I'm a different story, but do you really think that jutsu is going to work on a god like that-'

_Before she could finish her thought Naruto grabbed Sasuke's shoulder and they both disappeared in a flash of yellow-_

_-And reappeared on either side of Kaguya with their yin and yang covered palms grabbing hold of each shoulder all thanks to the special seal he applied on Black Zetsu when he pushed him away before returning to Kaguya's side._

_Yup...Naruto learned the Hiraishin...it was during the training trip that he finally understood that what he knew wasn't enough and begged Ero-sennin repeatedly to teach him all he could before he finally relented after he kept interrupting his 'research'; this of course included fuinjutsu. It took nearly the entire trip, a shitload of memory-receiving shadow clones, and a whole lot of patience before Jiraiya let Naruto take a crack at the legendary teleportation technique. This was also after the reveal of his parents and Jiraiya being his godfather._

_Of course Naruto was shell-shocked and emotionally vulnerable..._

_...But nothing a good, long crying session, a little time to himself, and a swift kick to his newly discovered godfather's jewels couldn't fix..._

_...Kami rest his perverted soul..._

_Naruto did learn more than just fuinjutsu, but that's for another time...now then..._

_"It worked?!" Sakura yelled_

_The Rabbit Goddess could not react in time before the symbols on their hands glowed a heavenly white while Kaguya and Black Zetsu became immobile much like they made Naruto and Sasuke earlier. _

_She was shaking as her power visibly left her body in white transparent streams that danced around those in contact with her. Her eyes and lip-sticked mouth were facing the volcanic ceiling as she let out a silent scream. All she could do was shakily glance from Sasuke then Naruto._

_These boys...these men...who were the reincarnations of her own flesh and blood...defeated her..._

_If she had the ability to chuckle right now, she would. The deja vu was immense. The denial and reluctant acceptance of her failure...feeling absolutely vulnerable and powerless...falling prey to this godly power like her own..._

'Just like so long ago.' _She thought depressingly as her chakra was being drained out of her at a faster rate and the escaped energy grew bigger and brighter. A loud, whistling wind formed in the air rustling their hair and clothing; large pieces of rock splashing in the lava around them._

_They say those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and she was starting to feel inclined to believe it. However, since she _was _that history, perhaps in this case she had to learn from her- '_Mistake.' _She abruptly thought as everything seemed to slow down around her; her hearing becoming slightly muted as if she were in a daze._

_Was...was she in the wrong?...Was power really all that mattered?...Was this attempt doomed from the start?..._

_She glanced again to the two increasingly glowing men. '_Such a pathetic return...I haven't even been alive an hour yet.' She lamely thought.

_She suddenly felt the last strings of her chakra about to be drained and was only able to garner the will to whisper one last sentence..._

_"I'm a horrible mother..."_

_Both Sasuke and Naruto slightly lifted their illuminated eyes in acknowledgement of her words..._

_...but only Naruto was able to see the lone tear escape the corner of her eye as she closed them in acceptance of her fate._

_Before he could think about her words, thin pillars of light erupted from very small cracks in her former blemish-less skin. Naruto and Sasuke had to shut their eyes from the brightness as they clenched their teeth feeling the chakra being sealed within themselves. It was almost unbearable! The sudden influx of power was like trying to shove Gamabunta through a tiny door! Their clothes started to rip slightly and small chakra burns were beginning to form around their bodies. It seemed as though even with their godly powers gifted to them, Kaguya's chakra was almost too much to handle._

_The surrounding area started to shake as if an earthquake was occurring. Kakashi, Sakura, and the Naruto clone looked around in worry not exactly sure what to do. They had no choice, but to wait for Sasuke and Naruto to be finished. It's not like they could exactly move around that well; as soon as the sealing began, they felt like their chakra was being drained. Perhaps it was because of Kaguya's power manifesting in the air. They did understand that she had the ability to absorb chakra after all. This was quickly getting bad though as they saw the Naruto clone struggling to keep afloat and keeping a grip on their bodies._

'Please hurry...' _Sakura thought._

_As Naruto and Sasuke continued the struggling process of sealing, a dimensional hole appeared near them...then another...then another...and before they knew it, a seemingly infinite amount of holes in the dimensional plain opened around them. They appeared in the air, on walls, and even directly on the pool of lava. However, instead of the normal pitch black holes they saw Kaguya travel through, were fuzzy images flickering in a myriad of colors. They all seemed to release a sound of static and...were those voices?_

_That's when everyone, even the distracted Naruto and Sasuke, looked around in amazement as they witnessed nearly every new reality play a small, blurry 'movie' of sorts with the tiniest hint of sounds besides static. There was casual conversation, whispering, yelling, sounds of fighting, and even the laughter of children. It was an absolute unexplainable experience._

_That's when Kaguya's body reached her limit as she was completely enveloped in the white light of her spirit. From her feet to her head she began to dissolve in glittery pieces; befitting for the princess of chakra._

_As her glowing head joined the white streams of energy around them, Naruto and Sasuke felt more pressure being put onto them. They were holding their ground as best they could while feeling their chakra coils expand and aflame. They've never felt like this before! It was like years of training and knowledge being forcibly shoved into their minds and their DNA being rearranged! They also detected rapid emotions passing through them...anger...hate...bitterness...hurt?...Regret?...Those last two sure as hell wasn't from the sacrificed Madara or obliterated Black Zetsu...then who-_

_A huge pulse of power suddenly exploded outward between Naruto and Sasuke as the last of the chakra was sealed. They were launched in opposite directions as Naruto landed roughly on a conveniently placed platform of rock while Sasuke slammed into a wall, but quickly stuck to it using what little chakra he could._

_The many dimensional holes suddenly began disappearing and reappearing in random spots around them. It was happening fast and was hard to follow, but they were more worried about the rapidly deteriorating volcanic world. They fearfully realized they didn't have much time and frantically looked for a way home. _

_As if Kami was blessing them a hole appeared next to Sasuke with a clear view of the battlefield they were in before. "Guys, over here!" Sasuke yelled._

_The Naruto clone acted fast and used his last bits of chakra to throw Kakashi, Sakura, and Obito towards their ticket back to the Elemental Nations before dispelling. Despite Sakura's screams of surprise, the throw was spot on and they quickly disappeared through the hole; all the while barely missing other dimensions appearing out if thin air. _

_Sasuke was about to go next, albeit very slowly due to his exhaustion, when he saw Naruto struggling to move from his position looking at Sasuke with half lidded eyes...with tears of blood...and rapidly changing eye color of blue, red, and a greyish purple...wait...what?_

_"Shit! Naruto!" Sasuke screamed. "Get your ass moving dobe or I swear to Kami I'll destroy all ramen!"_

_That seemed to get a small reaction as Naruto shakily rose to all fours with raspy breaths. "Got t-to g-get up." He whispered to himself with his vision becoming hazy and hearing starting to mute..._

_...Then without warning a new dimensional hole formed right beneath him. His and Sauke's eyes widened as Naruto sank into the hole as if in slow motion._

_He could do nothing but shakily reach his hands towards Sasuke before blackness took over his sight and heard "NARUTO" in a distant echo..._

_...Then he started falling...falling...falling-_

* * *

"Gah!" Naruto quickly awoke with a start. He was sitting up, breathing rapidly, and covered in cold sweat.

"O-oh yeah...that's what happened." He shakily whispered as he gently held his face in the palms of his hands noticing the circle he was marked with was gone. _'Must have served its purpose.' _He briefly thought.

A hand then gently grabbed his tattered sleeve making him slightly jump in surprise. He turned to look into the worried blue eyes of Katara.

"Did you have a nightmare?" She asked innocently.

Naruto only gave a small nod before looking at the rest of her family a few feet behind her. They looked to be preparing to eat some sort of stew that gave off a pretty appetizing aroma. They surrounded a small fire pit in the middle of the now open and cleared room; a small metal pot hanging slightly over the flames supported by a wooden cooking rig.

Kya looked him in slight worry with a ladle and bowls in hand, Hakoda was simply curious and slightly anxious to have him finally answer his curiosities, and Sokka...well...was looking at the cooking stew as if all life's secrets were held within with sparkling eyes.

"Well, it's okay now. You don't have to be scared." Katara soothingly said with her little reassuring smile.

Naruto couldn't help but let a smile sneak its way onto his whiskered face. "I know. Thank you." He gently replied.

Katara's smile grew as gave a nod before returning to her family.

It was silent for a moment until Hakoda stated, "You understand we have a lot to talk about?" It wasn't a question.

Naruto nodded and started to get up. "Do you mind if I take a walk first? There's...a lot on mind." Naruto requested with difficult look in his azure orbs.

Hakoda slightly narrowed his eyes. "And how do I know you just won't leave or cause trouble?"

"Because I wouldn't know where to go and from what I saw so far, there is nothing but snow for miles. But just in case you don't believe me..." Naruto then walked up to Katara, kneeled down, and reached into his shirt. Katara was confused before she gasped at the beautiful necklace he pulled out. The main piece obviously being the thinly cut shiny green crystal vertically hanging on a black cord. The only other parts were a small silver bead on either side of the crystal.

"This is for collateral so that I come back." He said while looking at Hakoda before turning back to Katara with a smile. It's not like anyone here could actually stop him if he chose to leave or do whatever he wanted, but he didn't want to strain their view of him and make everything even more difficult. He then gently put it around her neck saying, "Take good care of this for me, okay? Someone very special gave it to me years ago."

Katara looked down to the green crystal then back to Naruto giving him a determined nod.

Naruto walked to a nearby chair where the rest of his clothing and boots were and put them on. A few seconds later he passed the tarped entrance and looked around. It seemed he slept all day if the star-filled sky was anything to go by.

Walking down the path he originally came from with hands in his haori's pockets, he saw that nearly all the damage was cleared and pretty much everyone was inside their tents and igloos due to the lights from their fires. As he walked along he noticed he was getting strange looks from those with their tents open and even some that walked out of their homes of ice.

He didn't really know how to react to their whispering except to keep walking. He did, however pick up a few words like healer...spirits...powerful...magic...cute-

He nearly tripped when he heard the last one that seemed to come from a couple of teenage girls, but powered on with his journey, although with a hint of pink on his cheeks. That aside, it seems some rumors were spread around him.

He eventually came to the same hole in the wall he walked through and went back out. The hill he fell down was where he made his ascent, but not before rolling his eyes at the imprint of his face in the snow that somehow didn't disappear. As he climbed up his mind still remained relatively blank before his breath hitched in his throat as he reached the top.

"Beautiful..." He whispered in awe.

Off in the distance a magnificent display of aurora lights were gracing the icy valley with its presence in the endless sky. The wavy streams of greens and blues enhanced the beauty of the mountains and untouched blankets of snow. Its reflection on a small frozen lake in the distance shined with a sense of peace and tranquility. It was like heaven on earth that nearly brought a tear to Naruto's glistening eyes.

He sat down comfortably to watch this natural wonder while gathering his thoughts.

_'Well now what? It looks like I'm stuck here and it's not like I can just create dimensions like Kaguya.' _He thought with a sigh. _'At...at least everyone is all right. I was prepared to die for everyone and in a weird way I guess I did.' _He then felt the tears escape and quickly wiped them away with a sniff. _'I just hope they are happy from now on...Sasuke...Sakura-chan...Kakashi-sensei...Baa-chan...Shizune-nee-chan...Ino...Chouji...Shikamaru...Kiba...Shino...Tenten...Lee...Iruka-sensei...Ayame-chan...Teuchi-jiji... _"Hinata-chan..." He whispered. "I was really hoping to act on her confession after the war...damn it!" His nails dug into his palms and nearly drew blood before he let out a shaky breath and absentmindedly letting a tear slide down his cheek and fall into the snow below him.

While still working through the heavy emotions swimming through his mind, he looked to his open right palm. "And now I supposedly have the Rinnegan?" He proceeded to send chakra to his eyes and felt...in a word...strange. Everything around him seemed clearer and felt that very small vibration in the air again. To confirm his suspicions he slowly raised his now gloved hand to look into his reflection on the shiny symbolized hand guard.

"Oh Kami..." Just as he suspected, he saw that his eyes were a metallic purple with three ripples surrounding his pupil.

He just sat staring in shock letting out ragged breaths until he instinctively sent chakra to his eyes again in a...let's say..._different _way. As if his life couldn't get more nerve wracking, he blinked and saw something completely different coating his eyes.

In place of the previous purple...was a crimson red...with a black pupil surrounded by three connected tomoes that each had an empty circle being filled by the before mentioned red, along with three black bars connecting to an outer black ring...there was no doubt about it...

...Naruto possessed Madara's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan...

As though he was in tune with his lazy comrade he let out an exasperated-

"Troublesome..."

**Chapter End**

**AN: Like it? Hate it? Want to give me a cookie or strangle me?**

**Nevertheless, I once again want to say thank you to those that reviewed, followed, and offered advice for the story; you know who you are!**

**This was definitely a tad bit tougher to think about since, in case you didn't know, I'm totally winging this story. I kept on re-typing parts and just blankly stared at the same paragraph for like half an hour without progressing...**

**I just hope that the Kaguya scenario is somewhat believable because I just wanted to get that out of the way and move on and it's not like I was going to wait for the manga to show how it ends. I also don't know why I made her feel bad and regretful...I guess I just have a small weakness to girls crying...no matter how crazy they are.**

**Now about Naruto's training trip skills, I'm just going to reveal them at certain points or just give a brief summary. If you're wondering how Naruto is affected by the biju, Kaguya's sealing, or just general skills...well...hell if I know anything about it! :D Naruto is basically a blank canvas waiting to be painted on! Will he just gain their powers or actually make contact with the biju and Kaguya like a proper jinchuuriki? Has anything drastically changed? I don't fucking know! :D**

**All I know is that with Madara being sacrificed for Kaguya and Naruto sealing her in himself he got the Rinnegan and EMS by absorbing the chakra and just naturally gaining them. He **_**is **_**a descendant of the Sage and reincarnation of Ashura after all...and even if Sasuke absorbed the same chakra, I don't plan on using him anymore as far as I know. If it doesn't satisfy you then just think of something else...not rewriting that shit.**

**Now we move forward with Water Tribe life and time skips!**

**Leave suggestions for anything in a review or PM like events/skills/characters/pairings or whatever!**

**I think that's it...**

**Later!**


	3. Can't Forget the Past

**AN: Hello again my readers! I got to say the increasing support is really making me want to write more and your kind words really warm the organ that pumps my blood (Korra reference), and I mean that! I'll leave anything else important in the bottom AN so read on my lovely ladies and manly men! Onward!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

The battlefield was in chaos...

The defensive walls and various forts were destroyed; a body lay motionless every few feet between the camps of each army.

Forces refused to stop fighting despite the heavy losses on both sides. It seemed that every soldier still active were absolutely ruthless and were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of victory.

One of the commanders looked on in pride for his remaining fighters and sadness for those that have fallen.

_'Damn good troops; every last one of 'em.' _The commander thought while continuing to look on. _'Everything we trained for was for this day.'_

Movement was suddenly heard to his left. He turned to look, but by then it was already too late. The weapon of choice for both opposing sides was already on route for his chest and it struck with enough force to be heard among the entirety of the skirmish.

Soldiers of both factions turned their attention to the falling commander just before he fell on his back, some in disbelief while others in victory.

"No!" They all heard as they saw it came from a distressed field medic running to her fallen leader. She slid next to him on her knees when she got near enough and quickly looked him over before reaching into her small medical pouch...

...Only to find that her supplies were completely used up.

Her face suddenly took on an expression of shock and then defeat shortly after. Before she could woe in her sorrow, a hand gently cupped her cheek. She saw that it was from her injured superior.

"Don't look so down," He said in a trembling whisper, "As long as there is one to carry on our will, we haven't lost. There will always be hope for a future victory, even as we move on to the next life." He let out a few coughs showing his weakening state.

"Remember everything I taught you and never lose that bright fire fueling your spirit. I...I know you'll make me proud." He finished as he saw her give a slight nod with an emotionless expression.

His hand then gently lost its grip on her delicate face and slowly fell to the unforgiving ground motionless. The only thing anyone else noticed him do was let out just one last breath as his head rolled to the side officialy out of action.

Silence...

That was all that was heard among the occupants within the combat zone.

Was it to commemorate those that couldn't make it? Perhaps it was just the astonishment of witnessing the esteemed commander's demise? No one was completely sure.

All they knew was that this day would be passed down for future generations to remember the efforts of these brave-

"Ha! We finally won! In your stupid faces! WOOHOO!"

-soldiers...?

More cries of joy rang out with an equal amount of frustrated groans. This all came from both the alive and supposedly 'dead' troops.

"Katara! Why didn't you revive Naruto! We could've kept going!" Whined Sokka as he dropped the snowball that he was previously about to throw.

Katara, the now identified field medic, glared at her brother. "Don't blame me! I wasted my last revival cookie on you! Maybe if you didn't keep on getting hit all the time, I could've used it on him instead!"

"I do not get hit _all _the time!" Sokka retorted. "My strategies are foolproof and when I do get hit, it's only because they got lucky!"

"Strategies?! Who in their right mind yells 'Sneak attack' before attacking!?"

Sokka raised his as if he was about to give a response, but crossed his arms with a huff while muttering, "Whatever." He glanced at a destroyed wall of snow representing their last line of defense. "How did they get passed our left flank anyway?! And where is Yakone?!"

Everyone looked to the unguarded wall and saw a small boy known as Yakone sheepishly make his way back to the war zone. Everyone gave him a blank look waiting for an explanation.

He stared back confusedly. "What? I had to pee." He said plainly.

Sokka simply slapped his mittened hand onto his forehead before looking at his 'deceased' leader. "Why do you always have to be so dramatic, Naruto? You don't have to give speeches like that every time you get out."

The now revealed commander Naruto quickly sat up with mock anger on his face and fragments of snow falling off of his chest. "Hey! I only do that to make this as realistic as possible! I'm preparing you for real combat through this battle simulation!"

This 'battle simulation,' as he liked to call it, is simply a glorified snowball fight with a few extra rules that took place in a small open area safely surrounded by the tribe's homes. Each side had a commander to defend at all costs that, when hit by a snowball and not revived, automatically made his team lose. Each side also appoints someone to be a field medic and has five revival cookies to bring back someone into the fight. However, they must be brought back within ten seconds of their 'death' or they are permanently out. Naruto suggested for the medics to just have five chances to say 'You're revived' with a light pat on the arm, but all the children argued that cookies were more efficient...or they just wanted an excuse to get more treats...whatever...it works, doesn't it?

One random kid just muttered, "Or you're just making up for a failed acting career or something..."

Everyone just let out a few chuckles and giggles making Naruto pout. This caused more laughter to erupt and make nearby parents and other tribesmen join in. The men shook their heads with an amused smile and the women giggled thinking the whole thing was cute.

Naruto gave his own chuckle as he made his way back to his feet. "Okay you little warriors, front and center!" Naruto yelled with authority as all the children gathered around.

"Now," Naruto started as he began to pace back and forth with his hands behind his back, "Let's see if you remember some of my teachings."

He stopped his pacing and faced him with a calculative gaze.

"Who do we leave behind?!" He yelled liked a drill sergeant.

"No one!" They yelled in unison.

"Why do train our minds just as much as our bodies?!"

"Sometimes it's better to have brain over brawn!"

"Why do we fight?!"

"To protect our precious people!"

Naruto nodded sagely. "Good. You've been listening well." He clapped his hands together. "Okay! We're done for today. See you tomorrow!" All except Sokka and Katara said their goodbyes and made their way home.

They started to head off themselves, but not before Katara tugged on Naruto's pant leg and gave him an expectant stare. He chuckled. "Oh all right." He said before picking her up and placing her on his shoulders. She gave an excited laugh before absentmindedly playing with his blonde spikes.

As they made their way to their own respective residence, they received greetings of waves and smiles which they quickly returned.

Eventually they made it to their igloo and stepped inside. Making lunch was Kya and Kanna, otherwise known as-

"Hi Gran Gran!" Katara said from Naruto's shoulders.

Kanna looked back and showcased her own smile and similar hair 'loopies.' "Hello children. Did you have fun playing with Naruto?"

Both children nodded before Naruto set down Katara who was slightly disappointed at the action. He then looked at Kanna with a defeated and exasperated look. "We weren't playing, Kanna!" He whined fakily. "This is a carefully planned and effective pre-warrior training program!"

Kanna gave him a wrinkled deadpan look. "That requires us to keep making you kids cookies?"

"Your point?" He responded blankly.

She shook her head and went back to helping prepare the food. "And how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Gran Gran."

Naruto just gave a sheepish chuckle. "Sorry, I'm just not used to that yet."

Kya looked over her shoulder. "Really? You've definitely been here long enough. You've hunted with the men, repaired people's homes, helped with everyone's training, you even look the part! You're practically family now." She finished with a kind smile that everyone suddenly found forming on their own faces.

Naruto then looked down and indeed saw how his wardrobe changed to something a little more Water Tribe friendly, courtesy of Kya. The less significant part was the regular tribal boots and dark blue trousers that blended in with all tribe members, except for the forehead protector that used to be on his stored flak jacket was now a makeshift belt buckle.

He wore the blue coat like everyone else lined with white fur in the appropriate places. His, however, was about mid-thigh length instead of the normal knee to near ankle length. He also had the Water Tribe emblem of a circled crescent moon with three waves upon the middle of his chest. Kya was even generous enough to sew a Uzumaki swirl on his right shoulder and the Konoha symbol on the left; both white in color like the Water Tribe emblem. They went well with his hand-guarded fingerless gloves he continued to wear since the symbols were on the same arm.

Underneath the coat is a long-sleeved black shirt meant for colder climates as an undershirt or warmer weather by itself. This was in place of the normal blue tunic others wear. Tucked inside around his neck was of course the green crystal of the Shodai and his Baa-chan.

What looked to be a really baggy turtleneck attached to the shirt was actually a facemask not unlike Kakashi's. However, Naruto's has a little bit more 'flair' on his. When fully pulled up near to the top of his nose, a top and bottom row of white canine-like teeth was visible. It looked like Kurama's when the fox's mouth was slightly open. It was actuality pretty intimidating and sure as hell scared the crap out of Katara and Sokka; even Hakoda slightly jumped. Kya was a little hesitant to make it, but Naruto insisted and even offered a drawn design. One of the benefits of practicing fuinjutsu is gaining the ability to not only make exquisite seals and symbols, but also become an adequate artist...

...Eat your heart out Sai...

And speaking of Kurama! Well...Naruto hasn't been able to contact the fox or any other biju since falling into this dimension...or Kaguya since technically he did seal her into himself...so is he her jinchuuriki too? He also still had Kurama's chakra, so should he be worried? Bah! He shouldn't think too hard on this; he's sure something will happen and give him answers...eventually...

It has already been about two years since Naruto's abrupt arrival to the Southern Water Tribe and he has certainly been busy. He has been honing his new abilities with his dojutsu and has gotten a near masterful grasp on them, but that doesn't mean he has let his other skills waste away.

He practiced his fuinjutsu every now and then since he was already just as good, if not better, than Ero-sennin. Although one might ask "But what happened when he ran out of supplies? How was he able to practice his calligraphy without special ink or sealing paper?" That was easily solved by one of his newfound Rinnegan abilities.

* * *

(One Month After Arrival)

_A man snuggly held within a sleeping bag was in quite a bit of distress. Only his blonde hair and face soaked with sweat was visible. If one were to look closely, they would see that his body was constantly shaking and his teeth were clenched. What might be causing this? What horrors in this young man's life caused him to lose his sanity and well-being?_

_"N-n-no more r-ramen left..." Naruto said in a shiver._

_Indeed his dreadful state was the result of ramen withdrawal...not the manliest way to get sick...but hey, we all have our own weaknesses._

_It was a little over two weeks prior that he ran out of all his instant ramen cups due to a little emotional eating from homesickness. He ended up completely emptying out his vast supply from his storage scrolls and even emergency stash from the invisible seals on his arms. _

_Naruto was now a shell of his former self that seemed to have lost all hope in humanity. Kami...he could still imagine a big bowl of Ichiraku's miso ramen being given to him by the beautiful Ayame...all steamy with a heavenly aroma...the broth working in complete harmony to give his tastebuds complete euphoria...hell, he even remembers the exact weight and feel of the bowl and ingredients...if only-_

_THUNK_

_"W-what?" He softly said as he focused his tired eyes to the ground in front of him. A white blurry object began to reveal itself. _

_"N-no way!" He whispered choking back a sob. Right there in front of him was a steaming bowl of Ichiraku's miso ramen...there was even unbroken chopsticks!_

_He didn't know how long he stared with his mouth open wide and moistening eyes, but when it finally registered that it wasn't a hallucination...for the first time in many moons...he cried his eyes out in complete joy..._

_...And totally freaked out Hakoda's family in the background with his strange abilities and awkward behavior..._

* * *

It took a little while to realize that this was due to his Yin-Yang Release that he was able to create the food of the gods simply from memory. He was ecstatic when he learned this and tried to create other objects like kunai, but he learned it took a lot of mental prowess to get it perfect. This applied to everything he tried to create, but nothing a few hundred shadow clones and time wouldn't help with. Now he could try to make a lot of things, like, say, money? He always felt a evil laugh of victory begin to build when that thought crossed his mind...although water tribe money wasn't exactly worth much since its use was limited outside the tribe and everyone survives by gathering and hunting their own supplies...not exactly a lot of trading was done.

Now moving on to other skills like his taijutsu and kenjutstu. His taijutsu was easily taken care of by sparring with the experienced warriors like Hakoda and even his friend Bato. With his style of speedy feints and quick, powerful strikes, he was easily able to defeat them. Sure it hurt their and other's egos, but that wore off when he offered to improve their fighting abilities. He did, however, make their lives a living hell. Intense strength and speed exercises ran them ragged and they all returned to their families in a collapsing heap. Naruto also learned it is never a good sight to see a grown man cry unfortunately. However, it made the tribe certainly a force to be reckoned with in hand-to-hand combat after a year of training and would only continue to improve.

His kenjutsu practice also came from fighting the various warriors available, but they obviously fought with weapons like battle clubs and spears. Naruto himself wielded a ninjato with its blade being 2 feet in length giving him speed and a decent reach. The handle was completely black and could comfortably be held by two hands. The hand guard was round in the design of a crimson Uzumaki swirl that always reminded him of his mother's hair. The blade's edge was a shiny silver and the rest of it was a gun metal color. This was all held within a black scabbard adorning a white Konaha symbol and orange Uzumaki swirl.

This beautiful and chakra conducted weapon was gifted to him by Jiraiya when Yugao gave him the thumbs up after a lot of gruesome kenjutsu training. At first when Naruto asked for her teachings, she refused, but later relented when he bribed her with self-repairing and strengthing seals for her sword which he used on his own weapons. It took a lot of time and plenty of pain, but Naruto eventually became a well-respected swordsman, but he never had a solid victory over Yugao; Kami that woman was terrifying with a sword! Like his taijutsu, his kenjutsu relied on speed and gave the ability to slowly weaken opponents with various slashes or quickly end it with a lethal stab while within their guard.

Of course his ninjutsu was top notch thanks to his elemental training. When Jiraiya mentioned that even though a shinobi may only have one main elemental affinity, they can practice with the others to a point they can become natural too, he immediately went to work. By the time the three year excursion was done he nearly mastered his wind affinity and had a decent grasp at all the others. When Kakashi heard of this he felt it right to give Naruto some pointers and even scrolls containing basic information on some of the many jutsu he's learned over the years thanks to his Sharingan. He learned a lot, but now with automatically gaining all affinities, including gravity, thanks to his Rinnegan, he could do any of the jutsu with enough practice! He was even able to make use of the medical ninjutsu Shizune gave him to simply attempt. She, Baa-chan, and Sakura would be so proud!

Practicing these jutsu were always far away from the tribe, of course, since he didn't want to accidentally blow everyone up after all. In fact, the only jutsu anyone ever saw him openly do was the Kage Bunshin, Hiraishin, Shunshin, and Rasengan after being begged by the children to show his 'magical' powers.

The looks on all their faces were absolutely priceless. He even became somewhat of a celebrity after a few demonstrations, but thankfully that status toned down after a few weeks and he was just a unique part of the tribe that just lightens up the atmosphere...he wouldn't know how to live if he had a band of fangirls stalking his every move...

When asked by a majority of the population how he performs these acts, he stated he was able to use energy called chakra that was similar to what they called 'chi' that benders use. Yes, he knows what benders are, but that's for later.

They predictably wondered what chakra was, but all he told them was that it was what his people used from where he comes from. At their curiosity on that he said that they will all know in time. This was several months after he first arrived.

His genjutsu problems were easily solved by his Sharingan. With perfect chakra control of the Rinnegan and genjutsu capabilities of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, all he had to do was look at someone's eyes and he had full control to make them see anything his imagination could cook up. Of course this wasn't tested out on any tribal member, so he used a clone. Even though his abilities worked, it wasn't exactly the most _pleasant _of experiences...he can have a sick mind apparently...damn memory feedback...

Despite all the amazing progress with the abilities he was already familiar with, he sort of hit a wall when he realized something...

...In this world, he was basically illiterate and clueless of the world outside the South Pole.

It's weird that they speak the same language, but apparently they are totally different when it comes to reading or writing...yes...extremely weird...but he just decided not to question it.

Sadly this meant that he had to do something that he dreaded to ever do again...

...He had to go back to _school_...

The very word sent a shiver down his spine. Hasn't he suffered enough?! Why must he go through infinite useless lectures...?!

It wasn't that bad actually.

He joined classes a little after the discovery of his Yin-Yang release. They took place in a relatively large tent that looked to be able to fit thirty people comfortably. The first day he went was a little embarrassing considering it was full of kids, but they _were _technically on the same level...sorta.

* * *

(Shortly After a Month of Arrival)

_Naruto pushed aside the tent flap and begrudgingly entered. He looked around and was able to find solace when he saw that Katara and Sokka were taking the same classes. As soon as they saw him they introduced him and basically put him on a pedestal. He became the cool kid within the first minute; something he couldn't do in years at the academy. Even if it was just kids, he felt his ego grow a bit. That was the case, until-_

_"Awww! Look at Mr. popular! You're going to have a wonderful time with us, aren't you?" A hand was tightly grabbing his cheek when this was being said in a baby voice._

_Naruto saw it was coming from the smiling teacher who looked to be in her thirties. Her name was Yuzuki and she was apparently the best they had and was taking full advantage of teasing a grown man entering school with children._

_He lightly blushed when he heard the children laugh. He immediately recovered, though, as he thought of a way to fire back with his own teasing._

_He leaned in close to her ear. "I know I'll have a good time as long as _you're _here." He whispered huskily. Apparently some of Jiraiya's teachings weren't wasted after all._

_Her face became aflame, but started to calm down and become a little frustrated when she saw him start to laugh. Oh this class was certainly going to be interesting..._

* * *

The teasing continued throughout the next couple of months of his crash courses, but it was all in good fun. All he had to do was learn to read and write the way they did, take in a good bit of history, and generally learn how the world works.

What really caught his attention was the history of the Avatar, master of all four elements. Once this world's apparent version of a once-in-a-lifetime sage was brought up, he thought back to the conversation he had with Hakoda a few days after the Fire Nation raid.

* * *

_"Firebenders?" Naruto asked._

_Hakoda nodded. "They have the ability to create and control fire."_

_"Does everyone have the potential to become firebenders?"_

_"No. There are those that have the gift of bending and those who don't. It depends on genetics."_

_Naruto nodded in understanding. "Are they the only type of benders?"_

_Hakoda shook his head in a negative. "There are benders of the four elements; earth, water, fire, and air...well...not air anymore."_

_"Why?"_

_"They were all wiped out by the Fire Nation." He said simply._

* * *

Naruto then learned about the war that was nearly going on for a hundred years and the story behind the eradication of the Air Nomads. He could sympathize with them since the Uzumaki were nearly killed off completely. Hakoda went on to talk briefly of who the Avatar was and that he was the only person in the world who could bend more than one element. It was interesting to learn that once the Avatar dies, a new one is born into the next element of the cycle.

However, with the Air Nomads gone it seemed that the ancient cycle ended and the world was left with war.

What shocked him was that Katara is the last waterbender in the South Pole and the raid he witnessed was to kill her, but Kya lied and sacrificed herself to protect her daughter.

Obviously Naruto was pissed and he swore to make those involved pay, but at the time it had to wait.

Well, anyway, Naruto's studies went off without a hitch during his two month period; shadow clones are awesome. When he was done he actually hugged and kissed Yuzuki on the cheek before running out of the tent in a graduation victory. She froze and became as red as a tomato as she saw him off.

He just had to get one last tease in!

...And here we are...

Naruto looked back up from his clothes and gave an appreciative smile. "Yeah. Family."

* * *

(The Next Day - Noon)

Naruto had just got back from training outside the village when he went to look for Hakoda. From what he remembered, he and the other warriors should be doing some sparring in the same area the kids had the snowball fight yesterday.

It took a few minutes to get there and he indeed saw Hakoda with the other men taking a break.

"Oi! Hakoda!" Naruto yelled as he got close enough.

Hakoda looked up and saw Naruto waving him over. He approached him with a questioning look. "Need something?"

Naruto shook his head. "I think it's about time I let everyone know." He said with a smile.

Hakoda's eyes widened a little. "Are you sure?"

Naruto scoffed. "It's been two years already! All you guys have treated me as one of your own since the beginning and family shouldn't keep secrets from each other." He finished with a solemn look.

Hakoda couldn't help but let out a proud smile. "Well, do what you feel is right and I'll back you up. Are you going to show them using that weird eye thing like you did me?"

Naruto nodded and chuckled. "Yes, the Tsukuyomi."

You see, when Naruto got back from watching the aurora lights after he woke up, he had to have a man-to-man talk with Hakoda. They waited till everyone was asleep and Hakoda basically interrogated Naruto with rapid questions that were hard to follow. He didn't really want to go through this process, but he wanted the leader's, and in addition, the village's trust.

Naruto couldn't exactly explain everything like the Rinne Tensei or where he came from without taking a long time or just looking like a crazy person.

His solution was to just show him with his newly acquired Mangekyo Sharingan. While the Tsukuyomi was mainly used for psychologically traumatic genjutsu, he figured since he had full control of his own domain, he could project his memories.

It worked almost _too _well.

Naruto decided that for Hakoda to truly understand the content of his character, he should show him the main points of his life. At first the crimson eyes surprised the hell out of him, but quickly settled down since he already went through the shock of seeing the Rinnegan.

The experience was absolutely surreal! First he appeared in a strange colored world and met up with Naruto to only have everything around him constantly change locations for the appropriate memory.

Hakoda saw _everything_...

The mistreatment...neglect...and other various negativity...it was awful! How was he still sane with a smile on his face?

Then there was Konoha...his friends...the academy...shinobi...chakra...Chunin Exams...Elemental Nations...biju...Akatsuki...bloody battles...war...Kaguya...dimensional travel...

Hakoda could barely process everything that he saw. Naruto was basically some powerful warrior from another world that could give the Avatars of legend a run for their money!

When he was released from the genjutsu, he quickly fell to his knees dry heaving trying to not let out the contents of his stomach.

Who could blame him? He was just basically mind-fucked and saw a ton of people die in many gruesome ways. What surprised him more was that only a couple of seconds passed in the real world.

By the time he recovered he understood that Naruto would not bring harm to the tribe and let him stay. He was a good man that desperately needed to rest and regain his bearings in a completely new world. He basically lost everything and everyone he loved.

Only Hakoda knew of Naruto's life to this point and everyone trusted the chief's judgment, so they didn't pry.

"Oh yeah, that's what it was called" Hakoda responded back. "Wait, are you showing the kids and elderly too? They shouldn't see all that." Hakoda said with concern.

"I know, that's why it's going to be a _very _censored down version. I showed you everything because you as the leader needed to fully understand where I, a suspicious stranger, came from."

Hakoda nodded in understanding. "Should I gather everyone now?'

"Yeah. It's about time they know."

* * *

(Half an Hour Later - Open Area by the Shore)

Naruto looked down at the entire tribe that gathered around murmuring to each other. He was currently standing on a piece of ice about fifteen feet tall that he got on by use of the Shunshin.

With the use of chakra, he projected his voice like the Sandaime at the Chunin Exams. "May I have your attention please!"

Everyone became silent and focused on him.

"Thank you. Now, what I'm about to do is going to answer all your questions you've had about me for the past couple of years. All you need to do is trust me and look into my eyes."

They became slightly confused, but nodded to the blonde.

Naruto closed his eyes, and after a dramatic pause, he opened them.

Everyone gasped.

"These are special eyes called the Sharingan. You will learn about them shortly. Now then, I'm going to try to make this experience as smooth as possible and make it sort of family friendly because of the kids. If you want more details, then the adults can gather at another time for a full version, or you could ask Hakoda for details."

He cleared his throat. "Remember, keep your eyes on mine and we can begin!" Once he saw them all focused he activated the Tsukoyomi...

* * *

(One Censored Tsukoyomi Session Later)

Everything came back to the real world vaguely dizzy. Once they were able to clear their thoughts, the crowd was buzzing with activity. There were people in shock, some crying, and others with incredible awe in their eyes.

"A different world?!"

"That's what chakra is?"

"What was up with the orange jumpsuit?"

"Jutsu?"

"Tailed beasts?"

"He was treated that way?! How has not gone crazy?!"

"He saved his world?!"

"I just want to give the poor guy a hug!"

That last comment seemed to have garnered an agreement of sorts among some villagers...especially the women.

Before they were about to console our favorite blonde, however...

_CRUNCH_

They all turned to see that Naruto fell off his platform of ice face first into the somewhat deep snow unmoving.

Apparently bringing one person into Tsukuyomi is fine, but an _entire_ tribe might be a _tad _bit tiring...yeah...he didn't really think that through.

"I think we should help him..." Some random person said.

Everyone dumbly nodded.

* * *

(The Next Morning)

Blue orbs groggily opened to the ceiling he has become accustomed to. "Kami, I'm stupid." He muttered.

"Well that's not a very nice thing to say about yourself." A tired feminine voice said.

Naruto turned and saw Kya, Kanna, and Hakoda sitting near him eating breakfast; Kya not so much since her food looked cold and she looked to have been crying.

"Are you okay, Kya?" Naruto asked just above a whisper.

She sniffed and looked at him. "I just don't understand how someone can experience all of that and turn out like you did..." She quickly wiped an escaping tear. "Especially as a child! All because of something you had no no control over! Then once you save their asses they suddenly change and treat you nice like nothing happened?!"

Everyone's mouth hung open. Kya never used foul language! Was the world ending?!

Naruto managed to find his voice. "It...it's just that sometimes...you have to be the bigger person and let go of your hatred. It was hard...extremely hard, but I made peace with them and myself. They were just afraid of something they couldn't understand."

They all looked at him in awe. Just how does someone move on from something like that? The blonde shinobi certainly was someone special.

Kya shook her head and decided to change the subject. "So that's how you brought me back? I knew the answer of 'a special medical technique' wasn't completely true." She pointed an accusing, yet playful look at him; though it looked strained with puffy eyes.

Naruto sheepishly chuckled. "Yeah. At least I didn't say it was because I'm awesome, right?"

She giggled and smiled with a nod. "So that Tsunade woman was the special person that gave you that necklace?"

He nodded back. "She was the first person I ever considered to be a mother to me, despite her bad habits." He said with a fond smile and chuckle.

"First? Kya asked.

Naruto simply looked at her with his smile becoming serene.

She seemed to have gotten the message as her eyes started to glistened and a big smile formed on her pretty face.

Hakoda smiled and wrapped his arm around her then looked at Naruto. "You know, she wasn't the only one to worry about you." He nudged his head to his blanket-covered body.

Naruto looked down and saw the sleeping and tear-stained face of Katara laying on his chest. Near his legs was Sokka that looked to have used his body as a pillow, but was now snoring away with his face limply on the floor.

Naruto resisted the laugh about to escape his mouth and just sat up holding Katara to his body. The little ten-year-old instinctively snuggled deeper into his chest and muttered incoherent words.

"How did they take it?" Naruto asked while looking at the other adults.

Kanna spoke this time. "Katara cried saying she didn't like it when you got hurt or how people treated you. Although she managed to settle down when she remembered how you beat up the bad guys like a super hero." Kanna chuckled. "That's when Sokka got really excited and started jumping around." Everyone laughed a little at that.

There was a small moment of silence as Naruto slowly rocked Katara back and forth until he looked at Hakoda. "I think it's about time we commence Operation: Clipped Wing." He said with a smirk.

Hakoda was a little taken back, but refocused. "Really? That plan seems really dangerous and risky for any of us."

"Not for a shinobi." His smirk stayed on his face.

Hakoda looked to have realized this and allowed his own smirk to emerge. "Oh yeah. How could I have forgotten that?" A small, evil chuckle emerged from his mouth that put Kya and Kanna on edge. "Give them hell kid."

Naruto's visage now looked like a very mischievous fox about to raise complete anarchy that didn't help to soothe the lady's nerves.

_'Those bastards at Whale Tail Island won't even see it coming...'_

**Chapter End**

**AN: And another chapter done!**

**Over 150 follows and favs and 56 reviews! I love you people! I'd kiss you if I could!...well, only the ladies...the guys would get a well-deserved fist bump :D**

**And yes! Cookies exist down there! Kale cookies to be exact.**

**This chapter was kind of all over the place for me. I hope it makes enough sense. I had to actually look up a lot of stuff, but I found an awesome map of the avatar world that shows everything! Even the path the Gaang took!**

**Wow, you are all pretty dedicated to the pairings, aren't ya? I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Still winging this :D **

**Katara was in the snowball fight since she's a waterbender. They fought too!...when they were still there...decades before this point...**

**I'm thinking of making everyone 2 years older by the canon start. Sound good?**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll start working on the next one when I can.**

**Later!**


	4. Payback

**AN: Damn, I love you guys! The rising support and kind words are a real good source of motivation! I'll just let you get to the good stuff and talk at the bottom. Read on!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

The tribe that gathered felt all kinds of emotions at what was about to happen. They were excited, anxious, and slightly relieved.

Why?

The blonde that has made his mark on all of their lives was about to embark on a dangerous mission.

The excitement was from the knowledge that the Southern Water Tribe was finally able to bring the fight to the Fire Nation. Despite the fact it was through someone not originally part of the tribe, he was fighting on their behalf.

Anxiousness was brought on by their natural protective instinct for one of their own.

However, the relief quickly shot down almost all worry when they remembered the kind of person their brave warrior was.

He was a man of unfathomable strength and resolve that was only thought of in the wildest of dreams. Any mortal being would tremble in fear and awe if they were unlucky enough to stand in his way. He was a god amongst men! Someone with the power to change the world! Someone who-

"I already told you I have everything I need, Kya!"

-possessed a whiny voice!...huh?

"Don't you raise your voice to me you lunatic! I have a right to be worried for what you're about to do! You're _so _lucky we already know what you're capable of!" Kya exclaimed while overlooking Naruto as he sealed his supplies away on his person.

Naruto muttered to himself as he sealed away some jerky to the small food seal on his arm. It was barely visible as it glowed, but quickly disappeared.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!" Naruto quickly and fearfully responded.

She gave him a triumphant look as she spoke again. "You better believe it was nothing." She then looked slightly worried. "Are you sure you're going to be okay by yourself? What if you get hurt or even lost?"

Naruto stood up and planted his hands on her shoulders while giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. I heal fast and Hakoda taught me everything about navigating on the ocean. I also have my shinobi abilities, remember?"

She looked at him blankly. "You mean like the one that knocked you out into the snow a few days ago?"

Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I don't think that one will be required on this trip, and if I do it's definitely going to be under safe circumstances, I swear!"

She didn't look to believe him for a second, but quickly sighed and proceeded to wrap him in a deep hug which he quickly returned and placed his chin on the top of her head.

"Just come back alive, okay?" She muttered into his shoulder.

He tightened the hug. "Don't worry. I'll get back as soon as I can, dattebayo!" His body tensed up in the embrace and he let out a small groan. "Damn it..."

Kya giggled before she stepped back and gave him a kiss on his whiskered cheek. "You better." She playfully ordered with a sad smile.

"Are you going to take off or are you going to start making out with my wife?"

Naruto jumped and turned to Hakoda who was giving him a small glare, but Naruto could tell he wasn't serious. He recomposed himself and calmly shrugged. "Not my fault Kya can't keep her hands off of me."

Before Hakoda could reply, Kya roughly grabbed his cheek. "Oh, _really_? Why do you think that Na-ru-to?" She sweetly said as she increased the pressure with every syllable of his name.

"Alright! Alright! I get your point!" Naruto pleaded before rubbing his sore face when she let go.

Hakoda rolled his eyes before getting serious. "You good to go?" He asked.

Naruto nodded back. "I just got to say goodbye to the kids."

Hakoda smiled. "Go ahead."

Naruto then walked up to the front of the crowd where all the children, including Katara and Sokka, were at.

"Alright little warriors, I won't be able to train you for one or two weeks, so keep up what I've had you working on, okay?"

All the boys and girls nodded. Yup, boys _and _girls. It turns out that the normal system of just having male warriors was broken after his memories of all the amazing kunoichi were shown; even the parents were all for it. They barely started, but showed a lot of heart. Katara was certainly delighted at the change of pace and worked even harder to get better control of her bending ability.

One boy spoke up. "Are you going to tell us what you're doing? Only the adults were told, and they only know a little."

Naruto looked around as if asking for permission.

The various faces in the crowd gave a trusting smile and nod.

Naruto had to think a little before saying, "I'm going to a Fire Nation outpost the warriors know about to try and find the people that attacked you guys a couple years ago. Then I'm going to beat them up; as simple as that." He stated with a small smile.

"Ooooooooh." They responded in unision before muttering among themselves.

Naruto looked up to all the other members of the tribe and saw how they instantly became serious. They all knew 'beat up' was putting it _very _lightly.

He gave them a nod and they returned it.

Katara and Sokka walked up to him with Sokka holding his fist out. "Kick their butts good, okay?" He asked with a smirk.

Naruto bumped it with his own fist. "You know I will."

Naruto then kneeled to be face-to-face with Katara as she stood right in front of him. "Take care of all the little warriors and Sokka for me, alright? You're the responsible one, remember?" He gently asked ignoring Sokka's objecting "Hey!" in the background.

Katara slightly nodded before practically jumping on him with a hug, her arms tight around his neck.

He held on just as tight before letting go and giving her a peck on the forehead making her blush.

"Ewww/Awww!" Chorused the children and adults...wasn't really hard to guess who said what...

Some teenage girl then spoke up. "What about the rest of us lover-boy?" The other girls produced teasing smirks while their father's instinctively glared at the blonde.

Naruto was silent for a little bit before standing up with a scoff, arms crossed and nose in the air. "At least I had dinner with Katara and her family already! I swear, you all need to keep your hormones in check!" He then started walking back to Hakoda, but not before saying, "If you want a piece of this you got to do it right! I got feelings too you know?!" He said in mock anger and sadness before suddenly laughing as he walked away.

Everyone was perplexed at first, but then let out some laughs of their own.

The same girl from before turned to Katara. "So when's the wedding?"

The laughter grew as Katara slowly sank into the confines of her coat with her face practically steaming.

As Naruto got closer to Hakoda and his prepared cutter sailing ship, he wore a serious expression that he always got when heading off for a mission. There was nothing left between him and Whale Tail Island.

"You still know what you're going to do?" Hakoda asked as Naruto was climbing into the boat.

"Sneak into tower, gather information on the fleet's patrol pattern, chase if they are heading away or wait if they are close to anchoring near the outpost. Then I go have a nice little _chat _with all of the raiders, _especially _the leader." He said with a sadistic smirk as he prepared the sail.

"Get a little extra payback for me." Hakoda requested with his eyes narrowing from the memory of _that_.

"I plan on it." Naruto said seriously before looking back to him questionably. "Does this look intimidating enough if I do this at night?" Naruto proceeded to lift his teeth-covered facemask and pulled his newly attached hood over his head to hide his spiky blonde locks. Once both pieces of clothing were in place, he activated his Rinnegan and shot a mock angry look down towards Hakoda.

The chief could only dumbly nod and take a little step back.

Naruto chuckled at the confirmation and pulled down the black cloths while deactivating his doujutsu. "I guess I'm off then." He said before holding his arm down to Hakoda.

Hakoda nodded and clasped forearms with the shinobi. No other words were needed.

As Naruto got further and further into the icy waters, everyone else walked up to the shore. Kya cupped her hands around her mouth. "Remember not to die! I still want surrogate grandchildren someday!" Everyone laughed a little, but it quickly became a full uproar when they heard a distant "What, dattebayo?!" followed by an echoed "Damn it!"

* * *

(A Week Later - Whale Tail Island)

The sun was setting as Naruto approached the outpost on his genjutsu-covered ship. They probably wouldn't see it anyway if he docked it near them, but you can never be too careful.

Once he reached a small beach, he secured the ship and proceeded to leave a clone to keep it under the genjutsu while double-checking to see if he put a Hiraishin seal on it.

With everything ready he jumped onto the sand while pulling up his facemask and hood to cover his most noticeable features. He was wearing all black for this operation. He had his repaired combat boots and cargo pants that he wore when he first fell through the dimensional hole. His normally long-sleeved undershirt was all that covered his torso along with his fingerless gloves. Just like his coat, the shoulders possessed a white Uzumaki swirl and Konoha symbol. He opted not to have the Water Tribe emblem sewn on since he didn't want anything to be traced back to them.

With a final exhale he gathered chakra towards his legs and jumped high enough to to stick near the edge of the cliff. As he hung there he quickly went over the plan in his head and applied Jiraiya's transparency jutsu. The old perv's mind really did make an awesome jutsu...even if it was used for the wrong reasons.

With his body invisible, he climbed over the top and made his way to the tower in a steady walk. He passed by the grunts that worked here without any care or worry. _'Wow, this is really easy.' _He thought as he walked right in through the open door to the main building.

He walked throughout the halls and climbed up the stairs with muted footsteps; the only thing that required any effort at all was to step aside so the guards wouldn't bump into him.

Eventually he reached a room that seemed to have all the main paperwork that was transported by messenger hawk, although all the day's mail looked to have already been sent if the lack of hawks meant anything.

The only person in the room was a woman studying a map of the Earth Kingdom. Naruto calmly walked behind her with a small internal struggle. _'Should I or shouldn't I?' _He mentally shrugged. _'Fuck it. Might as well.'_

He ever so slowly leaned his head right next to her ear and removed his invisibility.

"Sneak attack." He whispered gently.

Her eyes shot open in fright, but before she could utter a sound, she was chopped on the back of the neck and fell into unconsciousness.

Naruto caught her shoulders before her face could hit the desk and folded her arms on it to cushion her head.

"That's how you do it, Sokka." He quietly said while mentally chuckling. "Now let's see what we could find."

He looked through various files until coming upon the mission log of the Southern Raiders. He saw that they had various campaigns mostly set along the shores of the Earth Kingdom over the years. There was reports of destroyed villages, taken prisoners, and lives both militaristic and civilian snuffed out by there hands. It was all for the glory of the Fire Nation. _'Just you wait.' _He thought bitterly.

After a few minutes he came upon a small section of the report from the Water Tribe raid. _'Raid successful...no casualties...confirmed kill of last Southern Water Tribe waterbender by Commander Yon Rha...' _He narrowed his eyes. _'Well, at least I know who I'm looking for.'_

A little later he found the fleet rotations and learned they were approaching in a few hours. Turns out that Yon Rha was about to retire and gather his possessions in the outpost's barracks and have final send-off.

"Perfect." He muttered.

After applying a small medical ninjutsu on the woman to ensure a deep sleep, he quickly left the building to wait for his prize to arrive.

* * *

(A Few Hours Later)

Three big metal ships adorning sea ravens on their red flags came to a stop near the outpost where their anchors sunk deep into the water below to secure their positions. Uniquely armored soldiers calmly walked out onto the decks of each respective ship while conversing with each other without a care in the world.

A man on the middle ship was the last to join his soldiers. The various men turned to give him nods of respect and mutterings of 'commander' as he walked by with his blank face and greying black hair.

They all seemed to stare at him when he looked as if he was going to give an order, but that quickly died in his throat when an overpowering aura was released into the air.

Everyone tensed not knowing what to do about this new sensation. Everyone, including Yon Rha, looked around in unease trying to find anything that could be causing this.

Their curiosity was ended as they suddenly heard an emotionless voice say, "So this is the _esteemed _Commander Yon Rha."

They all turned to the front of the ship where a black-clad stranger was calmly standing with his arms crossed. His facemask and hood only made them more anxious.

_'Where the hell did he come from?!" _Was the thoughts of many.

"Who are you and what are you doing on this ship?!" Yelled Yon Rha after he was able to find his voice.

"That Doesn't matter," He simply said, "You won't be alive long enough to find out." He finished as he started to take a few steps forward.

This seemed to snap them all out of it as they suddenly went on the offensive. Two men simultaneously shot small fireballs towards him, but when they got near he just...vanished.

The men who shot the fire could only look at the empty spot in confusion before feeling a sharp pain in their throats.

Everyone else could only look on in shock as the intruder appeared behind the two men in the blink of an eye before thrusting his hands forward with a sickening _squelch._

The three of them stood still before the man stepped aside and let the other two fall down as they desperately clawed at their throats and the kunai now lodged through them. They were only able to let out a few desperate gurgles before becoming limp and letting the blood slowly drip onto the metal surface supporting them.

The other soldiers were frozen on their feet. How did this man move so fast? Could they actually hurt him?

That's when they saw him slowly turn around and were surprised even further.

Where his eyes were previously hidden in the shadows were now two glowing orbs of violet staring down at them with the promise of pain. Each of them felt a chill shoot down their spines and a trickle of sweat rolling down their foreheads.

He strode forward again and made everyone go on the attack hoping that their superior numbers would overpower him.

Some shot fire from a distance while others moved in with fists aflame to land a punch.

Their efforts were for naught, however, as he easily sidestepped the blows and fire while staring intently at all their attacks. He looked to be playing with them and didn't even fight back!

It was only after nearly a minute of prolonged battle that he decided that he had seen enough. With a Shunshin to appear at the front of the deck again, he faced them all with his left hand rising before he quickly brought it down.

The result was instantaneous as all of the Southern Raiders slammed into the ground unmoving as if a huge weight was brought onto them. Their grunts of struggle were heard throughout the group. Yon Rha, though, was simply held in place standing up as he was noticeably shaking in a mixture of fear and resistance of the unknown force surrounding his body.

The man walked forward again; this time with no obstacles in his way except for the motionless bodies he had to step over. Yon Rha felt more and more frightened as the distance between the two of them was shortening. The pit of his stomach dropped and cold sweat was starting to glaze over his wrinkling skin. His eyes that were previously filled with pride and authority were now cowering and about to allow tears of fear escape.

He was praying for any sort of help to arrive. Wait! What about the other ships?! Hope slightly filled his heart as he quickly turned his eyes left and right, but only saw something that stomped on any possibility of getting out of this unscathed.

At the port and starboard sides of the other ships were all the other soldiers forcibly lined up in order to look at him. He noticed that next to them was a man that looked exactly like his attacker with his own arm raised towards the frozen soldiers; he seemed to be controlling them too.

"W-what?!" He whispered in disbelief. "There's more of them?!"

"Don't you just love kage bunshins and gravity control? They are just so helpful sometimes." Said the before mentioned attacker nonchalantly as he was now only a few feet away from the commander.

Yon Rha snapped his head back towards him with ragged breaths and now sweaty bangs hanging messily over his face. "P-please don't do anything else! I surrender! Take anything you want!" He was just about to bawl his eyes out. "Money, these ships, my men as hostages, anything!"

The man then proceeded to land a hard punch across Yon Rha's face breaking his nose with crimson liquid starting to gush out.

"You're nothing but a cowardly piece of shit!" He yelled as he roughly grabbed his chin to force him to look him in his rippled eyes. "You're all high and mighty until you're backed into a corner! Instead of going down with dignity, you're giving up everything for you own safety! Even your own men! Pathetic!" He finished as he let go. The defeated commander only let out scared whimpers of pain.

The now angry purple-eyed man stepped back and cleared his throat. "With that said, let's get down to business." Out of nowhere dozens of copies of the man appeared next to him. The original simply nodded his head and they quickly rushed out in different directions. Some ran into the entrance of the ships while others jumped over the railing, but no splash was heard.

"While we wait I might as well deliver my letters." He said somewhat cheerfully.

"L-l-letters? Is...is that all you came here for?" Oh, there was that tiny bit of hope again! "S-sure! I'll take them and send them to anyone you want!"

"Why, thank you! You're not such a bad guy after all!" He replied. A piece of paper suddenly appeared in his right hand and looked down at it as if reading. "Ahem, from the Southern Water Tribe..."

Yon Rha's face instantly blanched just before he saw the man flex his index finger.

_CRACK_

"AAAAGGHHH!" The Southern Raider leader yelled in bloody murder as his arms snapped in multiple places.

"Such kind words, don't ya think?" He flipped the blank paper over. "Now then, from Chief Hakoda and his kids." He flexed his finger again.

_SNAP CRUNCH_

No scream came from his wide open mouth this time as his legs were shattered practically into dust; only a quivering breath was squeaked out and tears flowed down his cheeks.

"I know, right? I nearly cried when I read it too. Gets me every damn time." He wiped away a fake tear. "Now the last one," he started as the paper was tossed aside without any care, "Well, that's a surprise, but it does come from a very nice woman by the name of Kya. I doubt you recognize the name, but does the last Southern Water Tribe waterbender ring any bells?"

He gave no response as he was still in his shocked state with his eyes rolling back. Before he could mercifully pass out, a glowing green hand touched his head.

"Can't have you nodding off on me now, you'll miss the surprise." He said in fake worry.

When he took his glowing hand off of the commander, his head slightly jerked in realization. He backed up and clapped his hands together. "It seems like that's my cue!" He said excitingly. "You'll be getting Kya's message shortly, but before that I'd like to say one thing." His eyes instantly seemed a thousand times deadlier. "You. Don't. Fuck. With. My. Family!"

And as quickly as he appeared...

...He disappeared in a yellow flash..

* * *

(Fire Nation Outpost - Whale Tail Island - Open Cliff)

...And reappeared on the cliff next to the barracks in the same manner; courtesy of the seal he placed before he made his way to the ships via water walking. As he settled and faced the anchored ships several hundred yards away, he heard multiple gasps behind him followed by a, "What the hell?!"

"Nice night, isn't it?" Naruto asked without looking back. "You guys sure have a nice view. I wonder what it's like at dusk?" It looks like all the distant firebending caught someone's attention and everyone gathered to get a look.

One was able gather himself. "Put your hands up! We're taking you into custody!" They all then got into fighting positions forgetting their shock of the intruder's teleportation.

Naruto hummed in thought and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't really feel like doing that, but I'll meet you halfway if you want." He turned around to see their shocked faces once they saw his glowing, disinterested Rinnegan eyes. He raised his hands up to his chest and connected them together to form the snake seal.

"Can you all do me a favor? I'd really appreciate it if you send a message from me to the Fire Lord."

They all remained cautious while in their stances, but were curious to what this mysterious man meant.

Now for why he said what he was about to say...he had no idea...it just felt _right _and completely appropriate for this situation. In a weird way, it was a bonding moment with a former enemy.

He cleared his throat...

"Art is an explosion!" Then he sent chakra through the seal, "Katsu!" He yelled before the unthinkable happened.

Everyone watched as the ships of the Southern Raiders exploded in brilliant flames of red and orange before clouds of black rushed into the air. The surrounding area shook and caused a few people to lose their balance before looking on in shock. The elite special forces of their navy...

...Were completely wiped out...

"They really shouldn't have been carrying that much blasting jelly...oh well!" Naruto exclaimed before looking back at the shell shocked grunts. "I guess you just got to learn from your mistakes." He shrugged and and waved his hand. "Ja ne!" Then like before, one flash of yellow later and he was gone.

* * *

(Open Waters Near Patola Mountains)

Naruto was drifting along on his ship with a couple of clones maintaining the sail and steering. "Let's try this again..." Naruto quietly said to himself while holding his hand forward and palm up.

With an inhale of breath he continued his efforts and actually managed to break a sweat. "Come on...come on."

There was a sudden flicker...another...another...

Then flames suddenly shot up a few feet into the air in a roaring blast before Naruto gained control and let it die down before he stared in fascination at the small flame floating above his hand.

"Yatta! Who says I need Chi to firebend!" He yelled out with a jump.

He shot a few experimental balls of fire into the open air before sitting back down on small crate and letting out a loud sigh followed by a small chuckle.

He looked at his hand and said, "I guess I was right. Wonder if it works for waterbending?"

**Chapter End**

**AN: I hope you enjoyed the chapter and didn't think Naruto was too sadistic. He is a shinobi after all and while he doesn't exactly like killing, he will do it when it's necessary. The Southern Raiders have a history of killing in this story which shouldn't be too hard to believe, so it's justified. And they hurt those who he considers family...so...yeah.**

**Now about the bending...I know that he already has plenty in his arsenal, but I just felt he should have it. His bending is **_**different **_**though. How? I don't know...I'm trying to think how chakra affects Chi. I kind of thought of small theory regarding affinities, but I'll probably talk about it in the next chapter. Here's a hint: Why do you think he was observing the firebenders while they fought instead of attacking back?**

**If you want to guess or even contribute your own ideas, go on ahead! It might better than my half-assed theory and be incorporated instead. Remember, I'm making this up as I go along.**

**Now I'd like to thank you all again for your kind words and rising support! Over 200 favs and follows?! Awesome! **

**Please leave a review about what you liked or constructive criticism at where I fucked up. I read everything from you guys and anything works if it helps my writing. Some explanation will definitely be appreciated and suggestions are welcomed. Once again, THANK YOU.**

**Later!**


	5. Gone For Now

**AN: *Sniff*...I love you guys...so much...Once again all important stuff is at the bottom. Please read it all since you never know when I need assistance or just general opinions to shape this story, and so far you guys delivered *bows*. Read on ladies and gents!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

"Chameleon Bay?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, it's east of the Earth Kingdom, but directly west of the Fire Nation's capital. This is where we're all going to be assigned and guard the entirety of the Eastern Sea. Earth Kingdom troops are preparing to pull out of there and guard the northeastern part of the country. It's up to us to make sure the Fire Nation isn't able to advance towards Ba Sing Se."

Naruto nodded as he looked down at the map of the world. He saw that the position they were all going to guard was an important asset to the Earth Kingdom's defense. If any ships were to get passed them, it would be a straight shot towards the country's capital.

"When are we going to leave?" Naruto inquired as he looked up to the chief.

"A couple of weeks, so we'll have plenty of time to pack and even some last minute training." Hakoda replied.

Naruto nodded and was silent for a moment. "We've definitely come a long way. I never thought I would actually be part of a war again."

"I guess that gives us an advantage then." Hakoda smirked. "There is no one alive that could fight you on equal ground."

Naruto scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "I could probably take over the whole world if I wanted to! Those so-called _elite _forces of the Fire Nation at Whale Tail Island weren't exactly the most challenging." He then raised his hands in the air in exaggeration. "I can see it now! World Emperor Naruto! The man with the strength of an entire army! Has the power to woo any woman! The greatest ramen connoisseur in the history of mankind! The- ahh forget it...I'm too lazy to do that anyway."

Hakoda could only look at him blankly before shaking his head in amusement. "The scary thing is that you could actually just take over an entire country if you desired to."

"Nah," Naruto started as he focused on the map again, "What would be the point? I would go in, take over, and just look like some overlord. There is no unity in that and there will always be someone that will see the position as evil or something and cause some sort of conflict. If I'm going to make my mark, then it will be done carefully at the right time with the people being united in some way."

"Like that shinobi alliance you were a part of?" Hakoda asked.

"In a way, yes. Except this time it's against one country instead a few people taking on the world. If I'm going to be able to do this then I got to go step by step. I guess without even considering it, the attack on the Southern Raiders three years ago might be able to work in my favor."

Hakoda grunted in agreement. "No doubt there has been a lot of talk in the Fire Nation and even other places throughout the world about that day. You might be easy to recognize if you go out wearing at least the facemask."

Naruto hummed to himself. "Yeah, instant danger with the Fire Nation and, for now, neutrality with everyone else. It's not like I declared why I attacked or where I came from. I could be an entire different enemy for all they know."

"So when do you plan on taking your own approach on this war and how?" Hakoda said.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just have to trust my instincts and do what I can at the time. I guess for now my place is going to be helping you guys defending the bay." Naruto looked back with a side glance. "By the way, how long long are we going to be there?"

"The Earth Kingdom's message didn't say. For all we know we can be there from one to ten years."

Naruto was now entirely focused on the chief. "Well I definitely don't want to wait a decade to do something. Is there a way for me to split off after a while?"

"Maybe, but only if we are sure that we can have a solid plan for ourselves. If we are able to make sure all of the warriors are fully capable of repelling the Fire Nation and not require your support, we can probably let you go and do what you want. Although if you are going to be gone for a long time, I'd like you to take some time off to visit our home here. It would really calm everyone's nerves if you let everyone know what you're doing and update them on our progress."

Naruto nodded. "That sounds reasonable. How long do you think that will take?"

Hakoda shrugged. "Around a couple of years or a little bit more. That should be enough time to set up a good system of defense and patrols."

Naruto hummed and closed his eyes in a thinking pose. "Around a couple years, huh? Maybe I'll get a chance to observe some earthbenders when we get there." He said with a little hint of excitement.

Hakoda rolled his eyes and scoffed in a joking manner. "What? Is firebending and waterbending not good enough for you? Are you trying to be our replacement Avatar or something?"

Naruto smirked. "Is that a bad thing? That's a position to maintain balance around the world and with nearly a hundred years of war and no progress, I'd say everyone will take what they can get. It's not my fault I'm that awesome!" Naruto exclaimed with a toothy grin.

You see, during the time before Naruto's attack on the Southern Raiders, he wanted to see if he had any ability to bend. This was a side project of sorts since he already had elemental jutsu and a lot of extra time. He first used his Rinnegan and Sharingan to analyze the energy everyone on this world possessed called chi. It was their version of chakra and both had noteworthy similarities.

Just like chakra, chi was the source of everyone's life energy and without it they wouldn't be able to survive. Like the civilians in the Elemental Nations, every non-bender had the minimum amount of their own respective energy to live.

Chakra and chi even had the same glowing blue hue that traveled throughout the body. However, unlike chakra, chi seemed to flow like an undisturbed stream instead of having the 'checkpoints' known as tenketsu like its counterpart.

This definitely intrigued Naruto when he first started and only became more curious when he observed Katara's chi when she attempted to waterbend. Even with nearly no skill at all when it came to the art, Naruto was able to see her chi glow brighter when it was put to work. He even noticed that darker strings of blue waved around in her chi as she tried to bend, but without knowledge to properly perform it, there wasn't anything else beyond that to help him.

What were those darker strings of blue that appeared? Did all benders have them when they interacted with their element? Naruto was only left even more confused when these questions popped up.

He wanted to see if he could replicate Katara's energy, but no matter how much he tried, he just couldn't. He wasn't sure if it was because of the tenketsu or just simply not having chi. Of course he tried using his water affinity to get the desired result, but it just wasn't the same as bending. By using chakra it was formed into a predetermined technique and although it could be used flexibly with other jutsus, he didn't have that _certain _control that bending gives people from what he learned about.

What if he just wanted to wave a blob of water around when he was bored?! It's the little things that are important, damn it!

It was about two weeks before his attack that he stupidly remembered that he could try absorbing this world's natural energy through senjutsu. Perhaps this energy was different here and he could obtain it to somehow gain the proper bending requirements.

When he was able to isolate himself outside the tribe for a few hours, he started to gather the natural energy around him. After a while he succeeded in absorbing some source of vitality, and noticed it was, well, _different._ It wasn't what he was used to and certainly not natural chakra, but his body still accepted it.

He wasn't sure how it affected him, but he was positive it wasn't bad. It felt like another source of life was coexisting with his very being. It was...in his best way to put it..._spiritually _enlightening...even though he already thought he was plenty spiritual...being a sage and all...but whatever.

Was this chi? Did all living beings here possess it like all sources of life from his world contain chakra? Would he be able to manipulate it for bending?

Naruto didn't exactly know what to do next except continue to absorb more as a small experiment. After a few days he discovered that what he thought to be chi was starting to become visible as a faint glow of white embraced his chakra in a slow pulse.

It wasn't overly noticeable as it wasn't just surrounding his chakra, but actually mixing in. The result was an icy blue energy flowing alongside a dark blue torrent with neither overpowering the other. He didn't know what to make of it, but just figured he'd wait and see what happens.

It was during his preparation for Whale Tail Island that he noticed the icy blue stream start to completely bypass all of his tenketsu and start to flow smoothly like regular chi. It's as if the tenketsu opened up an empty pathway in the middle or the chi-like energy just fazed right through like nothing was blocking it.

Naruto was both curious and giddy in anticipation thinking about trying to bend again, but first he would have to get through Operation Clipped Wing.

When he was being attacked on the deck of Yon Rha's ship, Naruto was closely observing the firebender's chi paths. He saw that, just like Katara, their chi glowed, but there was a very important difference. While Katara had dark blue strings waving around in her chi, the firebenders had dark crimson.

The only other noteworthy thing to notice was that the firebender's chi seemed to flow in a strong and fast current towards wherever fire exited from their bodies like their hands in this case. This differed from Katara's chi since when she was trying to bend, it didn't exactly flow, but actually waved back and forth like an ocean's tide. It was fitting in Naruto's opinion as the firebenders seemed to use their chi as a sort of fuel while Katara's tried to 'grab' any water substance in a sense. It reminded him of how he was able to use his gravity control to do something similar.

At the time when he saw the different colored strings, the first thing that popped into Naruto's head was elemental affinity. He theorized that all benders had their own single affinity, but no more than that except in the case of the Avatar. He also figured that non-benders just didn't have their own elemental nature. Apparently it was either you have it or you don't; definitely different from the civilians back home since they all had at least one element that they were more naturally drawn to.

He couldn't really dwell on these thoughts since he was literally being fired at, so it had to wait until the mission was done.

The boat ride back to the South Pole was when he jumped back into the process of bending, but this time it was with fire. By seeing how it was professionally done by the soldiers, he thought it would be easier to copy and see if this new source of power was chi or at least something similar.

He took it slow since he had a good chunk of time on the open ocean and didn't want to blow himself up or something; his track record with experimental seals and jutsus could attest to that.

With that in mind, he only wanted to make a simple flame instead of an outright attack or technique like he was used to.

Since he guessed that bending came from chi and an affinity he tried to focus his fire nature into his newfound energy for the first time. While it was slow at first, he eventually saw the same crimson strings from before! This brought plenty of excitement to Naruto and encouraged him to continue.

It was around the Patola Mountains of the Southern Air Temple that he managed to control the flow of this unique energy in the same way as the firebenders and finally sparked the flame he was looking for.

With a feeling of triumph like when he first earned his shinobi status, he continued to practice basic fireballs on the side of the ship.

It was after the warm welcome back to the tribe that he really got to work.

Away from the community he wanted to see how powerful his controlled flames were compared to jutsu and that's when he discovered something interesting. When he shot simple flames into the air in a way he thought was basic bending and looked at it through the Rinnegan, he saw that they weren't like the flames of the firebenders.

Unlike the Fire Nation soldiers, his flames still had traces of chakra held within.

Did this mean that his bending was like ninjutsu in a way? Did this give him more power and control? Was his coils now filled with a weird chi-chakra mixture of sorts?

He had no idea, but so far it worked and he proceeded to use firebending in the same way as his katon jutsus...

...And holy shit did he succeed.

Without the use of handseals or even really thinking of chakra being involved, he was able to recreate jutsus like Gōryūka no Jutsu (Great Dragon Fire Technique) and Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique) through bending.

For normal firebenders their fire would just be that; simply controlled fire. In Naruto's case, however, his flames had a chakra enhancing 'boost' to them.

Was this like sealless jutsu or extra powered bending? All he knew was that while it had the power of elemental ninjutsu, it was created and controlled in the ways of benders.

Naruto tried to come up with some sort of name for this and so far...he had nothing.

Jutsu bending, chakra bending, and chi jutsu weren't exactly...creative.

Nevertheless, he was ecstatic with this breakthrough. After secretly practicing and getting more adept at fire bending for a couple of weeks, he showed the tribe.

They were absolutely amazed...well...except for the senile old man that screamed "They're back!" and managed to run an entire two feet away before tripping into a forgotten snow fort, knocking it down...which also happened to be Sokka's pride and joy. It was a tragic day for the boomerang wielding boy. He had a remorseful farewell speech and everything...

...never forget...

Anyway, when Naruto was finished showcasing his new skills, he said he would try working on waterbending. Katara was really happy at this development and even considered herself Naruto's sifu since she _has _been bending longer than him...this was short lived, however...after the first hour...

Since Naruto had the concept down, he was able to start levitating snow after applying his water nature and replicating Katara's natural chi flow. It was after a touch of sadness and jealousy from Katara that she begged Naruto to help her. Even though he was already going to say yes, her puppy dog eyes that all females seemed to possess only made him concede quicker.

What followed throughout the next three years was everyday Water Tribe life mixed in with a lot of training involving the hardened warriors and the children in his pre-warrior program that increased in difficulty.

He would work them all to near exhaustion, but the results were satisfactory. They all increased their strength, speed, stamina, and overall fighting capabilities. In Katara's case, she had to train like everyone else, but focused more on bending instead of hand-to-hand combat. Her abilities have come along quite nicely, but she still wasn't a match for Naruto...ah the usefulness of shadow clones...got to love it.

However, Naruto couldn't quite get earthbending or airbending which he thought was complete bullshit since he was originally a wind user. He figured that like water and fire, he had to observe a bender and how they manipulated their chi...but with a severe lack of airbenders, that seemed beyond his sights. Sure he still had fūton jutsus, but he wanted complete control like the monks of the Air Nomads. Earthbending was obviously easier, but he had to wait till he got an excuse to get to the Earth Kingdom...

...Which was now displayed before him in the form of guarding Chameleon Bay.

"Uh huh, _awesome_." Hakoda replied sarcastically.

Naruto crossed his arms and sent him a smirk. "Jealous?"

"Yeah, yeah." Hakoda replied waving him off uncaringly. They then started walking out of the tent where classes usually took place. "You want to start training now since we got done with our discussion early?"

Naruto nodded. "Sure. I want to get everyone working as much as possible before we leave."

"Alright then, but we still have to break the news to the rest of the tribe."

"We can just have all the men tell their families after training is done and word will quickly get around to everyone else."

Hakoda grunted in agreement. "I'll go gather everyone then. I'll see you at the usual spot in around twenty minutes."

"Okay then, see ya." They nodded to each other before Hakoda took off to notify the warriors and junior warriors while Naruto headed off to the open area by the shore where training usually took place.

* * *

(Shore Area - Half an Hour Later)

"Okay everyone! Split off like yesterday and I or my clones will give you further instructions!" Naruto yelled in front of of the small crowd of training warriors.

They nodded and the adults followed ten newly created clones while the kids and teenagers followed the original Naruto. Both groups were separated by about fifty yards to ensure safety.

When the original Naruto reached his desired spot with the kids, he turned around to address them. "Okay, today we are going to enhance your evasion skills. While your attacking is decent and improving, I've noticed that a lot of you can't dodge for crap." He gestured to Katara. "This is why I'm having Katara bend snowballs at you as if they were fireballs or other projectiles in real battle." Katara seemed to gain a slight smirk at that.

"And what about her evasive training?" A girl asked.

Naruto smirked. "When you're all done, she has to dodge my snowballs."

Katara's smirk was now replaced with a face of slight fear. "Yay..." She said while looking down.

Naruto chuckled. "You're the one that asked for tougher training, my protégé." He lightly patted her head. "And you know that I don't take any training lightly."

"I know." She meekly replied.

Sokka then made his presence known. "When are we all going to raise the level to our training anyway? I'm pretty sure we can handle it by now." He asked getting various nods from the others.

Naruto teasingly smiled. "Oh? Do my cute little warriors want something more difficult to work on?" Once again they nodded. "Hmm, perhaps you'd like to try what your fathers are doing?"

Everyone seemed to get excited and jittery where they stood. Naruto smirked and pointed in the distance behind them.

They turned around and their mouths hung open in fright and slight disbelief. All of the adults were constantly dodging fire and trying to attack Naruto's clones that were now transformed to look like the Southern Raiders. This was the adult version of Naruto's battle simulation and by Kami did it work. With actual firebenders attacking, Hakoda and the others were gaining valuable experience despite the fact that Naruto didn't exactly know how they fought in their entirety.

All the kids turned back towards Naruto with his smirk still in place. "Still think you can handle it?"

They quickly shook their heads in negative.

"Well, until then," Naruto said as he bended a snowball into his hand, "Snowballs!"

For the rest of the day, the adults continued to hone their skills while the children's world was filled with plenty of snow, sweat, and tears.

* * *

(Later That Night - Hakoda's Igloo)

"You're leaving?!" Kya asked in slight shock as she looked at both Naruto and her husband after they all finished dinner.

Hakoda nodded somewhat grimly. "Our guys we sent a while back to Ba Sing Se to offer support came back yesterday with a request to guard Chameleon Bay in the Eastern Sea. Our job is primarily defensive, so we won't be looking for any fights."

Kya was silent for a second before nodding with slight sadness in her eyes. "When?" She simply asked.

"Two weeks."

"How long?" Katara asked from the side with the same look as her mother, albeit with her eyes glistening more.

Hakoda sighed. "I'm not sure. At least a few years." Kya and her children looked more downtrodden at that. "Although if we are secure enough, we'll send Naruto back to visit you guys."

They all perked up a bit, but were still saddened by the news.

"All the warriors are going?" Sokka asked breaking a small moment of silence.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. We're pretty positive the Fire Nation won't travel over here and we need all the manpower we can get and no Sokka, you can't come."

Sokka lowered his head as his following silent question was answered.

Katara looked towards her father and Naruto. "Are you guys going to be in danger?" She asked.

Naruto smiled back to the thirteen-year-old. "We'll be as safe as we can, but we are going to a war zone after all."

Katara nodded sadly.

"Don't look so down. With all the training I put your old man and the other old farts through, they are more than ready for the Fire Nation." Naruto said with his trademark smile.

Everyone besides Hakoda stifled a laugh while the man himself looked blankly at Naruto and simply said, "Old?"

That finally caused everyone to let loose their laughter that completely broke the sad atmosphere.

* * *

(Southern Water Tribe Shores -Two Weeks Later)

The sun had just gone down; the faintest traces of its radiance barely lingering in the open sky. There was a saddening silence only broken by the occasional muttered goodbye and held back whimper that managed to escape its creator's lips. The sounds of crunching snow and moving tides didn't reach the ears of those deep into their emotional state.

Equipment and various necessities were just about to be finished being brought onto the small fleet of cutter sailing ships; each with a lantern hanging at the front. The men packing everything all had blank faces knowing that it will be a considerable amount of time before they could return to their families, if at all. Even if it was only moments away before they too got a chance to say their goodbyes, they were dreading it.

Just the thought of not seeing their loved one's faces for years gave them heavy hearts. It was only when they were done with their individual tasks that they broke their emotionless facade as they slowly approached their wives, sons, and daughters.

Some just held each other tightly in silence letting out lingering tears while others were openly expressing their heartache with choked sobs and soothing words.

Their chief was currently in the embrace of his wife and children in a depressive silence. Kya and Katara let their tears fall freely while Sokka clenched his eyes shut and had a quivering lip.

Footsteps behind Hakoda alerted the family of another person approaching. They barely lifted their eyes to see it was the blonde that they've come to love over the years. His normally happy blue orbs were slightly downtrodden and he had a sad smile upon his whiskered visage.

He let out a small sigh. "Everything's ready to go Hakoda." He said just above a whisper.

They didn't voice any response and simply opened up a space between Katara and Kya.

He smiled just a little bit bigger before walking forward and joined them. As he reached as far as he could with his arms around their bodies he let out a small sniff. "I'm going to really miss you guys."

The family responded by hugging even tighter.

Eventually they slowly separated, but still kept a hand on someone's arm or shoulder.

"You boys better come back alive or I swear I'll revive you and kill you myself." Kya tearfully said trying to lighten the mood.

They all felt the corners of their lips twitch slightly and Naruto chuckled.

"Don't worry, if Hakoda or anyone else screws up, I'll save their asses." Naruto said trying to give his best foxy smile, but was struggling to hold it. He couldn't really think of anything else because he was immediately slapped upside the head.

Naruto put a hand where he was hit and pouted at Kya who was giving him a stern glare.

"Language." She simply said.

"Oh come on! Katara and Sokka aren't exactly kids anymore. They're practically going to be adults in several years!" He whined.

Everyone besides Naruto and Kya gained amused smiles and were momentarily able to forget their sadness.

Kya poked Naruto in the chest. "I don't care. I'm not going to have them corrupted by your dirty mouth."

"_My _dirty mouth?! You should hear Hakoda and the rest of-"

"Okay! We should probably get going to meet our schedule!" Hakoda interrupted with a nervous drop of sweat forming.

Kya sent him a suspicious glare before gaining a saddened look again and hugging both her husband and Naruto; an arm tightly holding their necks.

They hugged back with a single arm before she stepped back and gave a motherly kiss to Naruto's cheek and a short but passionate one to Hakoda's lips.

"Damn, get a igloo you two." Naruto humorlessly muttered.

The couple separated and everyone shared a small chuckle.

Hakoda turned to his children. "Sokka, you're the man of the family now and I want you to protect your mother and sister." He said while gripping the fourteen-year-old's shoulder.

Sokka nodded seriously as if given an order by his superior on the battlefield. His father then held out his arm and Sokka did the same before locking forearms and leaned into a manly hug with Hakoda patting his son's back. They stepped back before Hakoda was suddenly glomped by Katara.

He wrapped his arms around her with just as much force and kissed the top of her head. "Look after your mother and make sure Sokka doesn't do anything stupid, okay?" He playfully said.

Katara broke the embrace before wiping a tear. She smiled at him and nodded.

With his family in front of him and Naruto at his side he gave them one last sad smile. "Remember that I love you three and I'll try and get back as soon as I can."

They nodded and Naruto got close to Katara and Sokka.

"Keep training yourselves while we're gone, alright? I left some instructions in a book on the dinner table. Keep to the program I have set up for you and make sure none of the other warriors-in-training get lazy."

They nodded an affirmative before they were suddenly lifted off the ground in a final bear hug. "I'll return as fast as I can before I head off to travel more; and who knows, maybe I'll take you guys with me?" Naruto said as he set them back down while they tried to regain oxygen.

Once they recomposed themselves, they nodded excitingly at the thought of getting a chance to see the world outside of the South Pole.

"And one last thing," Naruto started as a tri-pronged kunai appeared in his hand from the seal on his wrist, "Throw this to call me, but it's for emergencies _only_, okay? I don't even know if I can teleport that far or how energy taxing it is, but it's better to be safe than sorry." He said as he gave his father's famous weapon to Katara.

"Take care of yourselves." He finished as held his fist out.

Sokka bumped his back with a smirk, but Katara just stood there for a moment with a look of slight struggle. With a gulp she walked passed his fist and kissed his cheek lovingly instead of a small peck.

She finished and quickly took her position next to Sokka and her mother with a noticeable blush and eyes facing the snowy ground. Sokka raised his eyebrow in shock and confusion while Kya smiled knowingly.

Naruto had a small tinge of pink visible on his cheeks, but quickly shook it off and chuckled. "Getting a little bold, eh Katara?" He said teasingly as Katara's face became redder.

He laughed a little louder before looking to Hakoda and giving him a nod with his face becoming serious. He nodded back and they turned to walk towards the ships after giving the family one last smile.

One by one all the warriors eventually made it onto their respective ships and slowly set off.

The remaining villagers of around a couple hundred or so gathered together to watch their loved ones drift away. A light fog surrounded them as a few people held up their own lanterns.

Sokka was holding one while his sister and mother were embracing his arms on either side.

With nothing but the sound of the water's moving tides and embrace of the now fully risen moon's glow, everyone had the same thought invading their minds.

_'Stay safe.'_

**Chapter End**

**AN: God I hope all of that made sense...it was kinda frustrating to think of something that was believable concerning the whole bending thing. Hopefully you guys understand it and perhaps even come up with a proper name for the chi-chakra energy? **

**I'm not very creative...**

**I'm sorry if there wasn't much progression, but I felt I had to get that info out of the way.**

**I think the canon start will hopefully be next chapter so don't give up on me!**

**Please leave a review of what you liked or thought sucked to help me out. Explanations would be appreciated and will allow me to enter your thought process...don't be shy now ;) All comments, suggestions, or whatever are welcome...except flaming...**

**Over 300 favs and follows AND we broke 100 reviews?! THANK YOU! **

**That's it for now, so keep it classy you lovely ladies and manly men!**

**Later!**


	6. Years Passed and a New Start

**AN: Wow...just wow...holy...I don't even...just read and I'll talk later...damn I love you guys!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

The ocean was calm underneath the mostly clear sky as a lone cutter sailing ship was traveling at a steady pace in the southern waters.

_'Wonder how everyone's been doing?' _Thought the ship's only passenger if you didn't count his two clones currently manning the sails.

The man's spiky blonde locks were waving around without care from the breeze hitting his whiskered face which had a uncontrollable excited foxy smile. His blue eyes showed this as well as they looked to and fro hoping in some way that time would progress faster.

"You know boss," one of the clones said while adjusting the sail, "Why don't you just use waterbending to get there faster if you can't wait?"

The man turned around to face the clone while crossing his black-sleeved covered arms; the attached facemask and hood were loosely snug around his neck and a noticeably new dark orange stripe ran from the insides of his sleeves down the sides until they ended at the hem next to his hips. The white symbols were still proudly worn on his shoulders matching his guarded gloves. "Nah. While I do want to get back home quickly, I think it'll be even better if I take my time and let all the excitement build up."

"You're only torturing yourself further, but whatever." The clone said with an uncaring shrug which is weird considering he should be holding the same excitement...guess they all have their own unique quirks.

The original turned back around facing forward on the front of the vessel and was barely containing his fidgeting body.

_'Did everyone change much? Did all the kids grow a lot? Were they attacked?! No...they would've called me...but what if they couldn't in time? What if they were captured and sent to a prison in the Fire Nation and just sitting there scared waiting for me to- no, no, no...get a hold of yourself, Naruto...' _He thought to himself while trying to avoid sounding like a certain Kumo shinobi.

_'Still...it's going to be a lot more exciting from here on out...'_

He wasn't lying either. While he did have a chance to finally make it to the Earth Kingdom, he didn't really get to travel much because of his duties.

A good chunk of his three year tour with the warriors was spent getting situated and coming up with a basic system of protocols. There was a lot of scouting to get properly positioned for their patrols and plans set up for different occurrences.

The main camp was set west of the bay on a decently sized open beach front that opened from a small valley instead of the common mountainous walls along most of the shores.

From this position they would be able to become aware of enemy naval forces trying to progress through, but never had to worry since there was already scouts near the middle of the inlet that would hurriedly give a warning.

For over a year they would quickly send one of their smaller and faster ships to gather the appropriate forces when they were rarely attacked by the Fire Nation. Naruto himself would travel to the specific Hiraishin seal on the ship currently on patrol if he wasn't on duty.

When he made his arrival he would then proceed to cast a genjutsu in order to keep everyone hidden until it was too late. As soon as their vessels were within proper range they would all board the metal warships in complete surprise and fight to their fullest capabilities.

With the training from Naruto over the years, Hakoda and his men almost always came out unscathed. There was, however, the occasional bad burn or stab wound from spearmen, but thankfully there was no deaths, albeit with a couple of close calls.

Even with the powerhouse that was their blonde companion, the tribesmen knew and wholeheartedly believed that Naruto should never take on the enemy himself, otherwise everything they prepared for was useless. Naruto made it perfectly clear that he wasn't going to hold their hands and quickly learned he actually didn't need to worry about that. However, he did step in when conflict looked to be too much to handle and treated wounds with his medical ninjutsu, to the mass appreciation of the warriors.

Naruto did his part on the battlefield by using the Henge to make him look like one of the other Water Tribe fighters and strictly used taijutsu and some swordplay to simply knock out his opponents or injure them enough to take them out of the fight. He didn't exactly want to reveal himself or his abilities until the time was right and it turns out they actually weren't really needed. Forces sent from the Fire Nation weren't overly large in number and were surprisingly on par with the warriors most of the time. The quality of the Water Tribe's offensive abilities certainly were successful as shown by their multiple victories.

When Naruto and the others made it obvious the fight was in their favor they would either take prisoners and have them delivered to a scheduled Earth Kingdom patrol at a later time, or simply let them run with their tails caught between their legs. There was the infrequent Fire Nation grunt, though, that thought he could take them on only to end in his death if he couldn't be incapacitated. This was uncommon and it was always one of the tribesman that took care of the situation. Naruto wouldn't interfere by request of his brothers in arms since they understood they needed this experience.

The very few ships salvaged from those that were captured were completely cleaned of anything useful, taken apart by Earth Kingdom engineers, and used for scrap or other researching purposes.

During this time period Naruto was finally able to lay witness to some earthbending. When they all first arrived to the bay, the Earth Kingdom soldiers were still preparing to leave and had to provide instructions to Hakoda.

All Naruto had to do was simply ask to see their abilities claiming that he always wanted to gaze upon the might of their military. With their egos stroked and the chance to show off their superiority to a supposed foreign non-bender, they easily complied.

Naruto, under a Henge to hide his natural looks to avoid questions, was able to analyze the workings of fully fledged earthbenders. Just like he suspected, their chi had wavy strings of green that constantly changed from light to dark. When they bended, like waterbending, they 'grabbed' their element in a sense, but instead of their chi waving, it stayed securely in place as a mountain would on the ground. They levitated earth from pebbles to boulders, created quick walls from the ground as protection, and even sank their feet into the soil to stand their ground in a hypothetical attack.

After all was said and done, the troops left and Naruto got right to self-taught earthbending in his free time. When he got the grasp of it by hovering rocks and freely controlling the dirt, he mostly let clones do the rest. His fellow warriors could only watch his progress with awe at first, but quickly changed to amusement and nearly nonexistent surprise since they were used to the mysterious antics and powers of the blonde.

The little traveling Naruto was able to partake in was to a couple of small villages nearby that didn't really affect him much, but was still beneficial. During his visits he was able to acquire the currency used in the country. With a little practice he was able to create the copper, silver, and gold pieces out of thin air via Yin-Yang release and was added to the slowly growing list of things he could magically create like kunai, shuriken, sealing paper and ink, miso ramen...beef ramen...can't forget pork ramen either...

...Everyone has their own priorities...

While he knew he pretty much had unlimited wealth, he mentally agreed that this wouldn't be abused...much...what? He saved his world! He deserves to spoil himself once in a while...especially after all the mooching done to his Gama-chan by Ero-sennin...oh the stories that could be told by that toad wallet...absolutely terrifying...

Even with this source of money at hand, all he really did was eat excessively at some food stands, left generous tips, and even gave some homeless people and others in need some peace of mind in the form of an anonymous small bag of silver or gold pieces. All anyone remembered was a passing man with rare blonde hair and suddenly they mysteriously had newfound wealth next to them to their utter joy.

He wasn't looking to flaunt his money and didn't even really know what to do with it, but he did know he always enjoyed making someone's life just a little bit better, especially since he understood hard times financially. It's not like there was amazing things to buy anyway; there was just what people in a village needed to get by like food and clothes which he had plenty of.

These small visits and the occasional defense against the Fire Nation continued for more than half the time of his work with the warriors until Hakoda managed to invent something that would give them an edge in future conflicts.

By combining bamboo, dried animal hide, skunk fish, and seaweed, the tangle mine was born.

This was a decently sized round mine that Hakoda designed to detonate when being hit by a ship. Once it explodes, seaweed is released in order to become tangled in the ship's propellers, stopping it cold in its tracks, while the unbearable smell from the skunk fish would cause those aboard to abandon ship. The defenseless soldiers would then either get picked up on an ally ship for a tactical retreat or become easily captured with little to no resistance.

Hakoda decided to nickname the tangle mine the "Stink'n Sink"...

...He was the only one that laughed...

Anyway, with this defensive tool in their arsenal, the attacks from the enemy became less frequent and easier to deal with. The last few months before the day commemorating three years since their first arrival was spent as a testing period for the warriors. They insisted that the time for them to work without Naruto was at hand and they practically ordered him to stay at base camp.

There was only a few attacks and were dealt with swiftly with only some difficulty and the occasional minor flesh wound, but it was nothing they couldn't handle.

It was shortly after three years officially passed that they decided it was time for Naruto to set off to do his own thing, but not without heading back to the South Pole first and easing the hearts and minds of their loved ones.

After a small sendoff and a few heartfelt goodbyes, Naruto set off on his voyage to head back to the snowy lands that he now called his home...

...And here we are...

_'Just a little further, just a little further, just a-'_

Naruto's thoughts were suddenly cut off as he gazed upon the spectacular sight within the somewhat cloudy skies in the distance. Starting from an unseen source surrounded by glaciers was a huge beam of white light with a slight blue hue. The single stream shot up and instantly seemed to penetrate the heavens above while waves of the same energy surrounded it, looking similar to the celestial lights that were known to be in the area.

It was absolutely awe inspiring to the blonde shinobi and all he and his replications could do was watch with wide eyes and their mouths slightly agape.

After a short moment of this continuing, Naruto noticed that the beam was starting to thin out and the surrounding ripples began to vanish within the glowing upper atmosphere. As this happened he noticed a slight disturbance above the surface of the water far away.

When he gave full focus to this new display he only had enough time to blink before a shockwave was instantly upon him. In the split second he had with his thoughts, he saw that it wasn't like the shockwaves from explosions that he was familiar with. Unlike the normal push of energy at high velocity followed by the sound of detonation, this was a small transparent wall that seemed to have the same coloring as the lights in the sky.

When it reached his form, he was surprised that only the sound of a calm wind was registered in his ears and instead of being pushed, he felt the energy seemingly begin to absorb into his coils.

His breath then quickly hitched in his throat as his vision began to blur into darkness. The only thing he could take note of before he completely lost consciousness was the pops of his now dispelled clones, his body falling backwards, and the rapidly pulsing seal on his abdomen...

* * *

Two irises of blue slowly and groggily began to open to the surrounding landscape and quickly closed from the sudden flash of light in their field of vision. They fluttered until the fogginess they bore witness to started to clear. When the surrounding environment was properly revealed, the eyes widened to their absolute limit as the owner barely managed to utter two words...

"Holy shit..." Naruto said barely above a whisper.

What caused this reaction was one of the most beautiful sights he was lucky enough to see in his life...

In front of him was a vast ocean that continued on as far as his trained eyes could see. Its tame crystal-clear waters sparkled from the golden rays of sunlight that managed to peek through the various fluffy clouds that possessed a hint of grey.

The sounds of the low tides reached his ears and brought his attention to the small shore that was in front of him and downward. He watched as the pushing and pulling of the water covered the reachable sand and darkened its color repeatedly in a slow and constant rhythm. His eyes stayed on this sight before they started to linger to the rest of the dry sand and saw it eventually connected to a large body of neatly trimmed grass.

He followed the traces of green up to where he was sitting and finally noticed he awoke on the side of a fairly large hill. He looked down to his right and gently grazed the green blades with his fingertips, tickling them somewhat.

He deeply inhaled through his nose and smelled the salty air with a faint trace of a coming rain.

With the sight in front of him, the touch of the grass, and the scent invading his nostrils, he couldn't help but let out a small amusing chuckle as he fell back once more on his back and sprawled out his limbs.

"I'm back..." He softly said to himself in a mixture of slight disbelief and happiness. This was an appropriate reaction considering...

...It's been quite some time since he's been in his mindscape...

He let his eyelids close once again and simply continued to lay there in peace to drink in the atmosphere for all it was worth. The waves of the ocean tenderly lulled him while a gentle breeze used just enough of its strength to calmly sway Naruto's hair, clothes, and the surrounding blades of green. With the clouds blocking the sun, small amounts of its light and warmth peeked out just like over the ocean onto him in a perfect balance to where he wasn't too warm or cold, and its escaping rays didn't annoy his eyes in the slightest.

_'Why now, though?' _He thought scrunching his eyebrows in wonder. _'I was always blocked off...until I absorbed...whatever the hell that was...chi?...It's like it unlocked the path for me to get here...but...if I'm here, doesn't that mean...'_

The breeze suddenly picked up into an aggressive wind which made Naruto sit up trying to find the source. He noticed that the wisps of wind started to gather in a small tornado of sorts on the top of the hill just behind him and slightly to his right.

He didn't exactly know what to make of it until the visible blades in the gust started to take on a crimson color that the blonde was all too familiar with.

Naruto simply smiled in joy and relief while laying back down with a pretty good idea of what was happening. He got comfortable and re-closed his eyelids, placed his hands behind his head, and just let the event run its course; all the while not caring about his ruffling hair on his face with a serene grin that couldn't be broken.

After what seemed like an eternity, the winds stopped and Naruto heard what he believed to be a deep animal-like yawn followed by the grunts one would release while stretching.

He could practically feel his new company looking around before stopping on him and staring at his relaxed position.

Naruto heard a few heavy steps being taken, resulting in the slightest of rumbles in the ground, before they stopped and the sounds of a huge body adjusting to lay on the hill near him echoed slightly in the quiet area.

Silence quickly took place throughout the mindscape.

Naruto wasn't unnerved in the slightest. On the contrary, he felt a sudden anxiousness that threatened to explode from his being, but fought to keep it contained hoping that this new presence would break the ice between them.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"**...We did it..." **A deep voice rumbled out.

"Yeah...we did..." Naruto replied.

Once again silence broke out between the two as they both seemed to enjoy this moment of peace in the tranquil setting.

"I really missed you, Kurama." Naruto suddenly said while glancing upward.

Kurama scoffed and rolled its now open red eyes as it laid on its belly with its chin resting on crossed arms.

**"Don't get all sappy on me, gaki...I doubt it took you that long to recover." **The fox seemed to gain an amused smirk. **"Hell, I thought we were gonna die back there."**

Naruto's eyebrow twitched as he kept his right eye on his tenant. "So even after all those heart-to-heart speeches of confidence, you still believed we could've lost?"

**"Not lose, but maybe go down with the ship; figuratively speaking." **

Naruto simply stared for a moment before rolling his eyes as well while looking forward until Kurama's words caught up to him. _'Wait...didn't take that long to recover? Kurama doesn't know?'_

**"New duds, Naruto?" **Kurama asked breaking Naruto's thoughts.

He saw the fox gesturing to his slightly changed shirt and the new articles of clothing around his neck. His usual cargo pants and boots were still in use currently, but were alternated between what was given to him by the tribe.

"Uhh...yeah," Naruto said with his thoughts still somewhat jumbled, "I thought it was the time to try something different." He then lifted the facemask showing the unique design.

Kurama's slitted eyes widened a tad and its smirk grew further. **"It's about damn time you started to worship me. I thought you were a lost cause."**

Naruto pulled the black cloth back down and looked at Kurama blankly. "Don't get too full of yourself, furball."

It was the fox's eyebrow that twitched this time.

"By the way," Naruto started before Kurama could speak, "What was up with that reforming wind crap you just did?"

The fox seemed to shrug without much care. **"Not sure. Doesn't really matter. I'm here, aren't I?" **A look of curiosity then overtook its furry features. **"Where's everyone else anyway? I thought we would have a proper family reunion without all of that end of the world bullshit."**

"You're the first I've seen actually, but I can still feel them like I did you before you showed up again."

**"So I've been asleep or something?"**

Naruto shrugged, not exactly knowing what happened himself. "I guess absorbing all of that chakra did something to disrupt our connection somehow, but I absorbed some sort of energy that looks to have fixed it. For all I know, you came back first since we've always been stuck together, so you somehow took priority."

**"Energy? Chakra?"**

Once again the blonde shrugged.

With nothing else to go on at the moment, neither of them really looked too deep into it.

**"Wait...what about Kaguya?"**

"I've been wondering about that too and I think I might feel her along with the rest of the biju."

Kurama scoffed again. **"**_**Great**_**...now I might have to live with my dysfunctional family **_**and**_** a psychopath..."**

"Could be worse; she could've absorbed all of our chakra and we would've died."

Kurama relented, but didn't voice it. A different thought then borrowed its way into the fox's mind. **"So how's being Hokage treating ya? Everything you hoped it would be?" **It said before noticing Naruto quickly stiffen and avert his gaze to the ocean.

**"You've gotta be fucking kidding me..."**

"Kurama-" Naruto started to break the news, but was suddenly interrupted.

**"Even after all that, you still didn't get the stupid hat?!"**

"Listen-"

**"They gave it to the duck ass, didn't they?!"**

"Just-"

**"Who the hell wants a duck's ass overlooking them from the monument?! Who?!"**

"If you would just-"

**"How the hell would he be pardoned in the first place?! After all of that shit he did to everyone?! Hell, the next thing you tell me is that he stole the Hyuuga girl from you just when you finally gained a few brain cells and a pair to finally do something!**

"Hey! I-"

**"And I swear to Kami, if that little shit turned on us again, I'm going get out of here and-"**

"OI, BUNNY EARS!"

A murderous fire instantly erupted within the bloody red irises of the nine-tailed demon as it glared down at the now standing blonde while rising from its laying position.

**"YOU SWORE YOU WOULD NEVER-"**

"JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND, DAMN IT!"

Naruto and Kurama just stared at each other with narrowed eyes while the former was trying to recompose himself.

Naruto then sighed after a moment and tiredly ran his hand through his spiky hair.

"Kurama...no...I'm not Hokage...I haven't stepped foot into Konoha in a long time..." His blue eyes then looked down with a heavy sadness to them. "I haven't even been in the Elemental Nations since the end of the war..."

Kurama's eyes widened with its anger now forgotten. **"What the hell are you talking about?"**

Naruto looked up at his partner with his sorrow still in place. "Kurama...something happened after the sealing...something big...how much do you remember?

**"I just remember the sealing almost being complete, a bright light, and now I'm here..." **

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose with his right thumb and index finger in frustration. "Well...here we go..." He muttered to himself.

**"What?" **Kurama questioned as a bad foreboding was stirring in its gut.

Naruto sighed in exaggeration and looked at his tenant with as much seriousness as he could muster. "I haven't been in our dimension for a little over eight years..."

As if beating the impossible, the fox's eyebrows shot up to unimaginable proportions while its mouth hung open in complete disbelief.

**"You're joking, right?"**

Naruto continued to glare on in an absolute 'no bullshit' look.

**"Okay, you're not joking...well shit...but how the hell did that happen?" **Kurama asked still coming to terms with the current situation.

Naruto looked on blankly, but still held a stern attitude. "Do you really find it hard to believe that once shit went down, there wouldn't be a stray dimension to swallow me up; especially with my unpredictable luck...or bad luck...I don't even know anymore..." He said while looking to the ground defeated.

The fox then, as much as a huge mass of sentient chakra could, looked a little sheepish. **"I guess not...but still...eight years in a different dimension? That's a lot to take in, kit..."**

Naruto sighed heavily again. "I know...the beginning was a little too much to handle mentally, but I guess I moved on over time...I miss my friends to death and think about them all the time, but...as long as everyone else is safe...I can accept this...I saw them make it back before getting stuck in this dimension..." Naruto was now sitting cross-legged and absentmindedly ripped small blades of grass every few seconds.

Kurama could only look on as an awkward silence fell upon them, but quickly ended as Naruto remembered one...or two crucial details he had yet to reveal, but was beat when Kurama made a small comment first.

**"For eight years going by, you don't look a day older..."**

"Yeah...I've kinda been wondering about that for a while...ya know...considering the chakra I absorbed?" He said while looking back up to the fox as understanding quickly entered its crimson orbs.

**"Give me a moment..." **Kurama requested as it closed its eyes in concentration.

Energy was felt vibrating through the air as Kurama focused on Naruto's chakra and overall vitals.

Red eyes then shot open in surprise as they proceeded to look at the waiting and curious blonde. **"What the hell have you been doing? There's some sort of energy flowing alongside your chakra...which is a **_**lot **_**more potent than before I might add...not surprising with the chakra you sealed in yourself, but still..."**

"I think that energy is chi." Naruto responded which only made the Kyuubi more confused.

**"Chi?" **Naruto nodded. **"Well, whatever the hell it is, it's here to stay...and seems safe...for now...wait a minute..."**

"What?"

**"I think I know why you haven't physically changed...even if you're a Uzumaki, **_**something **_**was bound to change...and from what I can tell...well...I think we're going to be stuck together longer than you thought." **

"Explain."

**"With your longevity pretty much super charged by what happened, you have a few Uzumaki lifetimes left in you."**

Naruto was silent for moment with a faraway look on his face before he regained his composure and gave out a single "Fuck..."

**"Not too excited?" **Kurama inquired, now back on the ground with a few of its tails unconsciously swaying around.

"You may be used to living for a long-ass time, but I'm not...I'm tired of seeing people I care about die...I knew I would anyway, but not to this extent...and I figured something like this would happen...but...I don't know..." Naruto said before laying back down and gathering his thoughts with a conflicted expression taking over his visage.

While he sort of expected this, it didn't mean it was any easier to accept. How would anyone feel knowing they would see life generations after their time should've ended? Sure, there were those that wished they can add on more years to enjoy life as much as possible, but this was just a little too much.

He would be forced to see the ties he made in this new life cut after a good number of years while knowing he still had a long way to go. All of his new friend's faces were practically at the forefront of his mind, aging before him into their elderly years before crumbling up and flying away as if they were merely dust in the wind.

He then figured that he should feel at least somewhat lucky to be able to watch them get old instead of never knowing when tomorrow would be the last...

...As is the life of a shinobi...

Naruto looked back up to his furry companion. "Kurama, there is a couple of things you should know that happened."

**"Now what?" **The fox drawled out.

Naruto just closed his eyes and in an instant they opened to reveal the familiar metallic purple with its black rings around the pupil.

Kurama once again widened its eyes and looked to be trying to figure its next words.

Naruto didn't give Kurama a chance to speak, though, as he repeated his actions, but this time revealed the red eyes that have been a thorn in the fox's side on multiple occasions.

Kurama's eyes narrowed, but were still clearly surprised. The contemplation in the slitted orbs showed that the fox was still trying to gather the proper response.

Minutes passed after Naruto deactivated his doujutsu while he and Kurama continued to stare at each other.

Kurama finally reacted by giving out a loud exaggerated sigh before becoming comfortable again and closing its eyes. **"I should really just expect this kind of shit by now considering it's you."**

Naruto then looked on with an accusing glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

**"Do you really want me to answer that, fishcake?" **Kurama responded while getting a jab in for the bunny ear comment.

Naruto only clicked his tongue in annoyance before settling back down on the hill getting as comfortable as possible. "Whatever...and it's for maelstrom, damn it." He quietly muttered to himself.

He knew that while he looked slightly mad, he actually missed the bickering they used to partake in. It was their own little way of getting along and was a big improvement from when they first met with the whole desire to escape on Kurama's part and Naruto's former struggle with the fox's chakra; not to mention the cold emotions between them whenever they interacted.

They've definitely come a long way to now. Hell, before this whole dimension fiasco they even had a few heartfelt conversations that pretty much got rid of any hard feelings...besides the insults that were thrown in once in a while that sometimes made Naruto want to kick the fox in its nonexistent balls...

**"So now what?" **Kurama chided in breaking Naruto from his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Naruto lazily replied.

**"Our greatest enemies are gone, we are in a completely different world apparently, and its been eight damn years. What the hell have you been doing in all of that time? I'm guessing you at least found people, thank Kami. You could've just landed in a desert or ice world or something and just eventually die, and me with you no less!"**

Naruto looked up to the slow moving clouds gently gliding across the sky with their shadows and uncovered light constantly covering his body. The sight seemed to relax him pretty quickly and nearly derailed the train of thought that was currently traveling through his brain. Maybe Shikamaru wasn't a complete lazy-ass for nothing?

"That would've sucked..." He mumbled. "You would've eventually reformed in a completely useless world with nothing to do. At least I would've died." He chuckled lightly with only slight humor.

**"Good thing you ended up wherever the hell we are." **Muttered Kurama with a small shudder at the thought of such a isolated world with nothing but the basic environment that went on forever. Sure the fox liked a good share of alone time, but there's a limit to everything, especially the boredom that would surely be a constant.

"Yup." Naruto said followed by a yawn.

**"You've settled in this dimension nicely?"**

"Yup."

**"Been busy?"**

"Yup."

**"Kept training?"**

"Yuppidy yup."

**"Are you a dumbass?"**

"Nope."

Kurama's eyes rolled. The gaki was paying attention after all.

**"Well, what have you been doing doing in nearly a decade?"**

Naruto yawned again. "Well, I'm actually on my way to where I first dropped in and- shit! That's what I was doing!". Naruto exclaimed as he quickly rose to his feet to face Kurama.

"Sorry, gotta do something outside! Just look through my memories and find out what's been going on and I'll talk to you later!" He was now about to leave when he said, "See ya, bunny ears!"

Kurama was about to retort, but Naruto already faded away, causing the fox to grumble.

**"Fishcake son of a bitch..."**

* * *

Naruto's eyes shot open to see the same grey sky as before. He sat up from his position on his back and stood up noticing that the ship wasn't sailing like he left it. This was answered quickly as he saw the ship's bow was now deeply lodged into the icy ground that made up all of the shores.

_'Well, at least I stopped, and there doesn't seem to be any bad damage.' _Naruto thought as he leaped over the front deck and into the snowy ground with a crunch.

He kneeled down and examined where ice met ship before looking at his surroundings. Of course there was nothing but snow on land, but within close proximity of the shores were some glacial formations that Naruto felt were familiar.

_'Okay, let's see...I think we've hunted and fished around here a few times...a few miles north from the village, maybe? That isn't so bad. I guess I could seal the ship and go on foot from here; definitely faster than going back on the sea.'_

Naruto then pulled out a decently sized storage scroll from one of the seals on his arms and opened it before setting it on the ground neatly. The intricate design on the paper was more advanced than the ones on both of his arms as it was meant to hold a much larger quantity of items; things like camping gear, tools, furniture, anything really.

With a quick pulse of chakra and placing a hand on the boat and seal, the deed was done. Naruto rolled the scroll back up before sealing it once again into the designated spot on his arm.

As he had nothing left to do but head back home, Naruto focused his chakra into his legs to set off at a fast pace, but suddenly relented as he felt the pull of chakra that he knew all too well.

_'My Hiraishin kunai? An emergency right now? Weird timing...'_

After pulling the hood over his head and mask to the bridge of his nose, he focused on the chakra signature of the kunai and let out a small breath.

"Might as well make a good entrance." He muttered before vanishing in a flash of yellow. All that was left in his place was the small trail of footprints and the soft howls of the icy wind.

* * *

With another bright flash Naruto found himself in the snowy piece of land that he subconsciously knew as home.

It was just after his feet sunk into the snow that his senses went haywire and he didn't have to wait to see why. The instant his eyes opened to take in the scenery he saw a wave of red flames shooting right towards him.

Taken by surprise he instinctively shot his own short burst of fire to stop it in its tracks. As the two streams met in midair they had a very short battle for dominance and became distorted as they looked to wrap around each other before snuffing out.

As the quick roar created by the flames ceased, numerous glowing embers formed and gently fell towards the ground only to lose their existence when coming in contact with the snowy surface. Some of said snow was actually already manipulated into many spikes of ice floating around the blonde and pointing forward in case whatever threat was present went on the offensive.

All of this happened in the span of a couple of seconds with Naruto completely relying on his instincts honed from years of combat.

Various gasps of shock met Naruto's ears the moment the fiery actions were over. He heard the reactions directly in front and behind him; more so the latter.

With nothing distracting him he was able to gaze at the source of the fire that was bended at him previously.

He immediately drew his eyes to the line of Fire Nation soldiers at the ready with a hint of surprise on the faces of those that weren't covered.

_'What the hell are they doing here?' _Naruto thought as he gazed at the group of about twenty. They were all shoulder to shoulder with enough space between them to actively move around. Half of them were equipped with spears and helmets exposing their faces while the rest wore helmets completely covering their heads and were only armed with their fists indicating they were benders. All of them had the same red armor Naruto had become accustomed to. Behind them was a metal warship with a ramp attached to the ground that seemed to have crashed through the icy shores and penetrated the wall surrounding the village.

"Fire _and _waterbending?! Impossible! There can't be more than one Avatar!" A voice loudly proclaimed.

Naruto brought his attention to a young man that was standing closer than the other soldiers in the middle. He wore the same armor as the others, but what was unique about him was the large reddened scar surrounding his left eye. Besides the look of outrage on his face, the only other distinguishable characteristic was that the only source of hair on his head was a black ponytail.

"How the hell did I not notice him first?" Naruto muttered while still in battle position and the various spikes of ice continuing to hover around him.

"Who are you and how did you get here?!" Spoke the scarred man as he got in his firebending stance.

Naruto, however, ignored him and turned his head to glance at the village facing his back.

It looked like everyone was gathered and spread around in order to confront the intruders. In the back of the crowd were the elderly and non-fighters while at the front were all of the young men and women that he trained armed with various spears and clubs their tribe was known for.

_'My little warriors aren't so little anymore' _thought Naruto as he looked fondly beneath his hood at all of the young adults. They all grew up nicely with their increased height, leaner faces nearly devoid of all baby fat, eyes filled with determination, and what he assumed well-trained bodies under their heavy clothes.

In the middle, though, were two faces he was especially excited to see. There stood Katara and Sokka in their matured forms ready for anything; Sokka with a club in hand and some warpaint on his face, and Katara with her knees bent and hands out to bend water at any moment. They definitely grew in height with Sokka still being taller than Katara, but she seemed to actually match Kya now. Their faces like the others were leaner and more mature, while their hair was in the same style with the only difference being that Katara's single long braid was now let loose and her dark brown locks sprawled across her upper back. Of course she also kept the hair loopies that have always been there.

Naruto then noticed that they, along with everyone else, had obvious traces of joy on their visages, but were overpowered by the seriousness of the situation. It wasn't until he scanned the group again that he noticed that behind Katara and Sokka was a young man slightly peeking to see what was going on. It was obvious he wasn't from the tribe or Fire Nation as he had light skin and wore orange and yellow clothing with reddish brown boots. A brown staff was in his hand and a blue arrow tattooed on his bald head and top of each hand.

_'Wait...arrow...staff...robes...is he-'_

"Answer me!" The scarred man repeated.

Naruto faced him again and saw that the man now had knives entirely made of fire sticking out from his closed fists.

A small moment of silence passed with everyone in the area becoming tense and fidgety where they stood. A small breeze was able to be heard and the man seemed to be getting ready to yell again, but Naruto cut him off.

"It's impolite to ask for someone's name without giving yours first, scarface." The blonde simply said and was heard by everyone.

'Scarface' snarled and looked to be struggling with his temper. "Zuko." He angrily let out through clenched teeth. "Now who are you?!" The now identified Zuko yelled with the fire in his hands extending in length seemingly responding to his anger.

"Well someone needs a hug..." Naruto quietly said to himself before making a response. "Who I am and how I'm here isn't important," he started, "What is important is why the hell are you here?" He finished calmly, but with an angry edge to it.

"I'm here to capture the Avatar, the airbender these people are protecting!" Naruto's shadowed brows rose at the confirmation of his suspicions.

"But now..." Zuko sternly began, "It seems as though I might have mistaken considering you just bended fire and are still bending water. The Avatar is supposed to be an airbender, but with you here I'm not sure what to think anymore...but I do know that whether you're actually the Avatar or not, with your abilities shown you are both threats that need to be taken care of."

Everyone tensed further and started to become a bit restless.

"So if you don't want this village burned to the ground, you and the airbender will be coming to the Fire Nation with me." Zuko said with finality.

"Uhhh...how about no? I still got shit to do and being a prisoner isn't exactly one of the things on my list." Naruto said without much care and broke a bit of the serious atmosphere.

Zuko seemed to only become angrier. "I wasn't asking you-"

"Wait, Prince Zuko!" One of the spearman exclaimed while looking intently at Naruto.

"What is it?!" Zuko yelled as he turned to the grunt that interrupted him.

"The mask..." He meekly said while shakily pointing to said object.

"What about it?!" Zuko demanded.

"The Southern Raiders..." The spearman muttered with a bead of sweat now going down his forehead.

Zuko didn't seem to follow for a few seconds before recognition suddenly sprang up in his eyes and snapped his head back towards Naruto cautiously.

"All the ships destroyed...a quarter of the forces dead...the rest forced to retire from injuries or mental instability...that was you?" Zuko quietly asked trying with the best of his ability to stay calm while his muscles tensed.

Now all the Fire Nation soldiers were really starting to worry. The destruction of their best naval force caused a lot of shock to spread throughout their nation. Stories of a single man with the abilities to replicate himself and control gravity were told from the badly burned survivors with a quivering fear in their eyes. Of course it was hard to believe since they were thought to be a bit mentally unstable, but with multiple accounts of the same story, no one really knew what to make of it.

The most intriguing thing, though, was that when the soldiers spoke of his eyes, they were almost too shaken up to say anything. It took some time, but they eventually found out that the attacker supposedly had glowing purple eyes with black rings that radiated complete power, even going as far as being godly.

Once that bit of information got out it became a myth of sorts. After a few months parents even came up with the story of the 'Purple-eyed Demon' to make sure their children behaved. The basic concept was that if you misbehave or disobey your parents, you'll be taken away in the middle of the night and the only thing you would see would be those deathly and demonic purple eyes.

The funny thing about that is it actually worked.

"Maybe it was me, maybe it wasn't. Would you like to find out?" Naruto replied calmly while taking in the information. A quarter dead?...Well, at least it wasn't a complete massacre like he previously thought; still...the lingering guilt after everything calmed down those years ago was still there...Fire Nation soldiers were people too...even if they were assholes...

"Just come with us calmly and there won't be a need for any fighting." Zuko offered while staring daggers at Naruto and slowly getting into his preferred firebending stance.

Naruto stayed silent along with everyone present as he simply stared back at the scarred prince. The tension in the air was nearly unbearable and was slowly driving them all mad waiting for the slightest movement to set everything off. After an unknown amount of time, Naruto let out a big tired sigh. "Look," he started, "I've had a long-ass day and I just want to spend the rest of it in peace. While a fight sounds fun to break my boredom, I'm not really in the mood, so you either leave or I send you back to your country in a body bag." He said with a hint of firm annoyance.

Zuko looked to either retort verbally or violently but wasn't able to get that far as the spikes of ice instantaneously found their sharp ends pointing directly towards his and the other soldier's necks a few mere inches away.

With their bodies now still and breath held in they all focused back at the hooded figure to see his right arm stretched out and fingers unclenched waiting for the command to control the ice.

"Final warning." Naruto said in an icy tone...no pun intended.

Zuko, with complete rage in his eyes and jaw tightly clenched, was nearly shaking where he stood.

With no trace of escape and retaliation in mind he ever so slowly and barely noticeably nodded with the greatest of reluctance.

As Naruto pulled back the spikes around his person still at the ready, all the soldiers mentally sighed in relief.

One by one they started to walk up the ramp back into the ship with clunky steps with their leader following last. As they were all at the top waiting for the ramp to reattach itself, they all turned around one last time.

"This isn't over." Zuko simply remarked challengingly while glaring once again at Naruto.

Naruto, with the spikes of ice now turned back to snow on the ground, seemed to have heard him as he replied, "Didn't expect it to be." With chakra projecting his voice towards the intruders, he made sure they all heard it.

Just as the ramp was about to close, Naruto gave them all one last glare as his hidden eyes slowly glowed the horrendous purple that they've only come to know in stories.

Simultaneously they all flinched and took a step back before the ramp went back into position with a loud c_lank._

It was a mere few moments later that the ship started to protrude smoke into the cold air before it set off into the open blue showing all the damage it left behind outside the village.

Naruto kept his eyes on it until it was nearly completely out of sight as it continued off into the horizon.

When he finally dubbed them gone for now, he exhaled slowly before crossing his arms, deactivating his doujutsu, and finally relaxed his body. "Well...it had to happen some time...and now is as good as any time I guess...I was getting really bored anyways." Naruto calmly said to himself as he continued to lazily face forward.

Before he knew it, multiple hurried footsteps as if from a stampede in the crunchy snow were heading right for him.

He knew he wasn't in danger and slowly glanced over his left shoulder already knowing to expect. What he didn't expect, though, was the massive tackle he received from a blur of brown and blue.

Him and his attacker found themselves skidding a few feet into the snow leaving behind a noticeable trail in their wake.

With Naruto now on his back and globs of snow covering his body, he slowly looked down to his chest to see his aggressor who was straddling him and holding onto his torso for dear life.

It was the next instant that his vision met the glistening blue orbs that held so much life and innocence that he was proud to watch grow up over the years. The matured face that held the eyes had a massive smile of utter joy that looked impossible to break anytime soon.

"Now look at the water princess all grown up." He muttered in amusement as he saw Katara's face somehow became even more happy as her chin was rested firmly on his chest.

She slightly opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted as the unique sound of Sokka's voice rang out.

"Dog pile!" He exclaimed with childish excitement as he was about to reach the two on the ground along with everyone else behind him.

As Katara looked at the incoming crowd her eyes widened before she desperately rolled a good few feet away after letting go of Naruto.

The hooded blonde didn't bother to move from his now sitting position on the snowy surface as he looked on at the crowd of young adults who instantly turned into excited children once again merely from his presence.

"Oh shi- oof!" He let out as Sokka, followed by others, landed on him one by one making their pile bigger and bigger.

Muffled yells and laughter rang out at different parts of the warrior bundle as they all tried to come into contact with their dear friend.

Naruto, even with all of his shinobi might, couldn't seem to escape his human prison, so he did the only thing could do at the moment.

A bright flash of yellow exploded within the pile before they all seemed to sink further into the ground.

Confusion entered their minds before their attention was brought to heavy breaths being taken behind them. As they all turned to the source they saw a still hood and mask-covered Naruto bent over with his hands on his knees inhaling the heavenly oxygen which was now graciously allowed to enter his hungry lungs.

With the almost forgotten tri-pronged kunai he used to first get there now grasped in his right hand, they all understood he used his signature teleporting technique to escape their grasp.

"I swear everyone is trying to kill me..." Naruto muttered as he continued to recover his breath. With a small moment to recover he stood up straight, cleared his throat, and waved the hand with the kunai still grasped at them.

"Yo." He simply said to the young warriors as they were getting on their feet.

He watched as they rushed to get up and, more calmly this time, make their way towards him.

As they were about to reach him he felt a few taps on his shoulder from behind. Not surprised in the least he turned around and saw the smiling faces of Kya and Kanna with the rest of the village close behind them.

"You took your sweet time, didn't you?" Kya said with her eyes looking about to burst into tears.

"Well...being on the other side of the world and fighting tends to take up a bit of my schedule." He responded with a hidden smile forming.

"That may be, but I'm not getting any younger, whiskers." Kanna said with a very small wrinkled smirk.

Naruto looked at her blankly. "Love you too Gran Gran."

Kya and Kanna let out a small laugh at that with a few others joining all around them. This brought their attention to the now arrived warriors behind Naruto.

"Well then..." Naruto said before turning and taking a step back. As his shoulders were facing each group he quickly pulled the hood and mask off revealing his famous spiky blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, whisker marks on his lean face, and a blinding foxy grin.

He opened his arms wide open and looked back and forth expectedly from Kya and Kanna to Katara and Sokka. "A proper hug this time?"

Without a second thought they wrapped each other in a tight embrace and just enjoyed the warmth both emotionally and physically.

Once they all got their fill they stepped back and simply smiled at each other for a moment. "You certainly haven't changed a bit, haven't you, Naruto?" Kya asked breaking the silence.

Once the words left the lips of the Water Tribe mother, Kurama's discovery quickly entered Naruto's mind.

"About that..." Naruto said and was about to continue but was suddenly cut off by a deep animal-like groaning behind him.

He turned around only to lay his eyes upon a giant bison completely covered with white fur, the only exception being the brown fur that was striped horizontally on its back and a perfectly shaped arrow on its head. The only other noticeable features left were the saddle attached to its back, a big nose, its six limbs, and two pointy curved horns.

"Uhhhh..." Naruto sounded as he stood confused. "What's a giant bison doing here?" Naruto asked in monotone with his index finger pointed towards said bison.

That was when he saw the same young man from before gently petting the side of the beast's head with a patient and confused look on his face.

_'Oh.' _Naruto thought after making the connection.

After a few moments of thinking to himself, Naruto started to make a calm stride towards the bald boy.

Naruto noticed that the newcomer immediately took notice of him and actually started to walk towards him seeming to meet him half way.

Once they were right in front of each other near the damaged snow wall, neither really knew what to say. A simple stare down followed but was broken by the blonde shinobi.

Figuring that since the young airbender was technically a non-hostile guest and seemingly calm, Naruto held out his gloved hand and gave his trademark grin.

"Glad to see someone finally appreciates the holy color of orange! I'm Naruto, what's your name arrowhead?"

The young man seemed to look a little lost before a hint of mirth emerged in his eyes and a big grin of his own formed on his face as he eagerly grasped the welcoming hand and gave an excited shake.

"I'm Aang!"

**Chapter End**

**AN: Uhhhh...hi there...I didn't take **_**that **_**long, right?...right?...shit...sorry guys. I know at the beginning I updated pretty rapidly, but sometimes life gives a good kick to the balls and takes up all your time.**

**I kinda started college a little bit after the last update and that has only added a bunch of shit to my schedule, but whatever...I hope you guys didn't suffer too much since this could be happening a lot from now on.**

**Speaking of you guys...holy shit...the last chapter I was happy that we reached over 300 favs and follows, but now that shit has pretty much doubled! Even the reviews! I know that some people are used to seeing that, I kinda was too, but then one day I thought what if we were all in one big room in person?...Gives a sense of reality, doesn't it?**

**I also believe I reached a milestone that I was waiting for! I got a flamer review! There was just insults, no reasoning, proper thought, or anything beneficial to me or the world whatsoever! I feel like I belong here now!**

**Which also brings me to this important public service announcement (PSA):**

**Give a hug to your local flamer...and together...we can make a difference...*sniff*...**

**I would also like to thank those who reviewed whether it be simple words of encouragement or the few cases of constructive criticism, which I appreciate by the way. If I suck, then let me know!...but professionally...which kinda brings me to another point; if there are things that don't make sense or plot holes left unfilled, I'm sorry if it doesn't work for you, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to change anything. You are free to PM me if you really need to understand something or just to simply talk...whatever floats your boat...or warship...**

**Well, I guess that's it for now you beautiful people! Oh, and this is my longest chapter of 9,000 words! WOO!**

**Stay classy and see you at some point in the future!**

**Later!**


	7. Onward Bound

**AN: Read now, talk later!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

All around the Southern Water Tribe, sounds of all kinds of activity could be heard as its various tribesman worked to get preparations done in celebration of their blonde friend's return.

Men, women, and children were running to and fro getting tables and seats set, carrying a great variety of ingredients and foods native to their culture, setting up fire pits, and clearing the area of remaining debris that was still spread around the area thanks to Prince Zuko's earlier intrusion.

Despite the heavy workload everyone was partaking in, every member of the tribe was able to take the time to greet Naruto back in ways of hugs, high fives, fist bumps, and even the occasional small peck on the cheek from the female population. Naruto took them all in stride and made sure to give them all the attention he could, especially to the newborns and very small children just out of their toddler years; one being because of their previous nonexistence and the other's lack of recognition towards the blonde shinobi. Naruto never really thought about it, but after spending the years that he did with the young warriors in their childhood, he built up a sort of fatherly affection towards them and just children in general. He already had the makings of a big brother because of Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon, but his time in the snowy landscape only enhanced these traits.

That's why he didn't hesitate in holding the babies protectively and cooing at them, much to his slight embarrassment when pointed out, and talking excitingly to the smaller kids that were given introductions followed by some small talk.

Watching all of this happily in the background was his immediate surrogate family of Katara, Sokka, Kya, and Konna, along with the newcomer Aang.

Now, Naruto still wanted to pry the young airbender for information, but only got as far as his name just before someone loudly called for a feast to be made immediately after. This was followed by one loud cheer of agreement before they started getting to the work that was still underway.

Aang watched everything going on around him with great interest. Here he was, still recovering from the shocking revelation of being absent from the world for a hundred years, being the first airbender these people, or apparently anyone in the world has seen in the same timeframe, not to mention the fact that his title of being the Avatar no longer being hidden, and everyone seems to have forgotten his presence in place of this man who obviously wasn't a native just like him!

'_Just who is this guy?' _Aang thought in genuine curiosity. From the very short conversation he had just moments before with him, all he knew was that his name was Naruto; definitely a strange name, but he's heard of stranger ones from some of his own travels all those years ago.

Besides his name, he did think that the blonde was a nice person considering everyone's interactions with him, and that was good enough in his book.

For the better part of an hour, Naruto continued his exchanges with those that wanted his attention while the small awaiting group next to him added their input every now and then and gladly just let everything run its course.

It was a little after the last family was done talking to him that Naruto let out a breath and turned towards Aang, instantly gaining his attention.

"Now that that's over with, it's about time we got talking, arrowhead." He said simply with a smile.

Aang nodded and smiled back while giving a mock salute. "Sure thing, whiskers!" He exclaimed with authority and innocence.

Naruto's face quickly gained a frown before he squinted and blankly looked at Konna. "You're such a bad influence, Gran Gran." He accused.

Slight chuckles answered back and Naruto let out a defeated sigh. "Well then, how-"

"Everything's ready!" A random tribe member yelled which got everyone to start gathering in the center of the village.

Naruto mentally shrugged. "How about we talk during dinner?"

Aang and the others nodded and started to walk to their own spots among the merriment.

Without much hassle, the villagers gathered together and grabbed whatever foods and drinks that caught their fancy and sat with their family and friends conversing whatever came to mind, but they all eventually tried to listen in on the words of their resident ninja.

"-And then after we set up all of the mines, Bato and I got the leftover skunk fish, put it all in a big bucket, and dumped it on Hakoda after he got done bathing! He couldn't get rid of the smell for a month!" Naruto told with laughter as soon as he finished one of his many pranking escapades.

Similar laughter rang out from everyone who heard and Sokka even started choking on the big spoon full of sea prunes he just started chewing on. With a few panicked smacks on the back from Kya, Sokka was able to unclog his throat. He gave a small thanks to his mother before digging right back into the pile of food that was remaining in front of him. Kya could only shake her head in slight exasperation while others looked on in amusement.

"It kind of backfired on us, though," Naruto started while regaining his bearings, "We always had to stick around him with patrols and other things, so we were forced to keep smelling it." He finished with a sheepish chuckle which everyone couldn't help but share.

Once Naruto was calm, he looked over to Aang's bowl of stewed sea prunes and saw that it wasn't even touched.

"Not a fan of sea prunes, arrowhead?" Naruto asked.

With some attention now on him, Aang embarrassingly and sheepishly smiled and said, "Um, water tribe food hasn't always been my favorite, sorry."

Naruto nodded as he understood. Some of the stuff these people ate certainly were an acquired taste, sea prunes definitely being a unique delicacy. However, deciding to have some fun and with a predatory glint in his eye, Naruto asked, "Have you even tried them?"

Aang shook his head in a negative, but instantly realized what the conversation was leading to as a worried expression made its way on his paling face.

Naruto's famous foxy grin stretched across his visage to the point where his eyes had to be closed. "Well, what are you waiting for?" He leaned in slightly towards the airbender across the long table without changing his facial expression at all. "Try it." He said in a challenging whisper.

Aang looked at Naruto, to the steaming bowl in front of him, and then to everyone now leaning in waiting for his reaction. Dread filled his gut now knowing he wasn't getting out of this. Just one single whiff of the stew's scent made him wish he could at least get out alive.

With great reluctance, he picked up the provided spoon and slowly scooped up of a big chunk of sea prune and shakily brought it to his mouth. The anticipation filled the air so heavily that Aang could've sworn his past lives were also leaning on the edge of their spiritual seats, especially those of the Water Tribe.

After what seemed like an eternity to the young Avatar, the food finally met his taste buds. What followed would set off everyone into mass hysterics the likes of which rarely ever happened. Once the Water Tribe cuisine hit tongue, his face morphed into one of great shock and disgust. His eyes bugged out and stared off into space as if they've seen the Shinigami itself, his shoulders scrunched up looking to touch his ears, and his tongue hung out somehow passed his chin as the poor sea prune was rejected and fell back into the bowl.

Naruto only lasted half a second before he laughed so loud that he nearly gave Konna a heart attack. He wasn't the only one, though, as after Naruto started getting himself worked up, everyone else couldn't take it and gave in to their own side-hurting laughter.

Aang merely sat there turning red as he got over the violation of his taste buds and looked around. The embarrassment only lasted a few moments, however, as he actually started to laugh himself since he realized that he definitely looked completely ridiculous.

"Oh man, that was great! I definitely needed that after everything that happened." Naruto said with a hand on his aching side letting a small chuckle escape every now and then.

"Uh, well you're welcome I guess." Aang said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"That didn't really surprise me, though, I didn't like 'em either when I tried them the first time." Naruto said.

"That's an understatement," Sokka spoke once he finally calmed down, "I remember you wiping your tongue with your coat sleeve."

Naruto gained the same sheepish look as Aang, hand behind his head and all. "Well, thankfully with the newbie here, mine was a little less dramatic in comparison."

Everyone could only nod with smiles still in place.

"Well, since sea prunes aren't working for you, there is still a lot to pick out from. There is arctic hen, blubbered seal jerky, and some fish among other things." Kya helpfully added in with her motherly instincts kicking in.

"Sorry, but I don't eat meat." Aang replied.

A decent number of the tribe just stared at him not really knowing how to respond, but Sokka seemed to sum it up pretty well a few seconds later.

"Well, I guess you're going to starve. It's been nice knowing you." He said in complete resigned confidence while others agreed.

Aang could only nervously chuckle hoping that there was some other option besides sea prunes for his survival.

"Don't worry, I got it." Naruto said.

Aang and everyone else wondered what he meant, but didn't have to wait long for an answer.

With a small wave of his hand and an unnoticeable burst of chakra, a steaming white bowl appeared out of thin air and planted itself on the table, chopsticks included of course.

Aang's eyes bugged out again, but in amazement this time as he just looked back and forth between the new bowl and the blonde. This was another amazing thing the blonde performed today, the others being Naruto using the Hiraishin and bending water and fire, but it seems that with everything happening so fast, he seemed to have already forgotten.

What confused him further was the absolute lack of response from everyone else. Besides the very little kids with awe shining in their eyes, everyone looked at the magical act as if it was an everyday thing and shrugged it off. While still trying to make sense of everything, Aang was broken from his shock when the bowl and chopsticks slid in front of him on the table. He looked to the bowl's contents and then back to Naruto once again.

"Vegetable ramen." He said with a smug smile.

After another moment of contemplation, Aang grabbed the chopsticks and broke them apart in preparation for this new meal. With chopsticks securely in his right hand, he grabbed a good amount of the godly noodles and slurped them into his mouth. His eyes widened once again, except this moment was filled with joy and wonder as the flavors swirled around in his mouth.

He finished chewing a little bit later and said, "Wow…"

Naruto simply crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and started to nod sagely. "Embrace the ramen and let it into your soul. Let it soothe your very being while its warmth spreads. Ramen is night and day, yin and yang, the beginning and the end. Ramen transcends all." He finished with quiet passion which only got everyone to roll their eyes as they continued eating their own meals. Apparently this wasn't the first time Naruto preached about his favorite food.

Aang couldn't really care less about Naruto's crazy words as he dove right into the delicious noodle and vegetable combo. It wasn't until he was halfway done that he realized he still wanted to know about what exactly this food sorcery was in the first place. "Wait a minute, what did you just do, Naruto?!"

Naruto looked up from his own meal of some arctic hen and said, "We all have our secrets Mr. Avatar, just be patient and wait."

Aang slightly flinched at the Avatar subject being brought back to attention while others seemed to start to remember as well.

"Let's not worry about anything serious for now," Naruto started, "It's been a really long day for everyone, so we'll just leave anything important for tomorrow. Just relax for the night."

Aang let out a sigh in relief and continued to eat.

"Anyway, how have you guys been doing with your training? I mean, seriously, look at all of you! You're like completely different people instead of the kids I beat the crap out of with snow balls!" Naruto happily exclaimed.

All of the former little warriors could only raise their heads in pride as they heard the words of their sifu, but quickly lost their proud looks as their very souls seemed to shiver at the memory of the many massacres by snow balls…

…So many lives imaginably lost…it's a damn shame…

"We've been working hard every day since you all left. We just might be able to take you down now." Sokka proclaimed with a smirk which was copied by his comrades except Katara. The cute sixteen-year-old waterbender only shook her head at her brother's words. His overconfidence has always been his downfall, especially when it was his mouth that sometimes got him an extra helping of snowballs, sometimes even from her when he annoyed her or he got everyone else punished, to their immense ire.

"Oh? Do my cute little warriors really think they can take me on?" Naruto amusingly said with a dangerous smirk and slight narrowing of his eyes.

Not one to easily back down, Sokka responded back challengingly, yet hesitantly. "Uh, y-yeah?"

The other warriors were already regretting siding with the chief's son as dread started filling the pit of their stomachs.

"Well then, if my now big and strong men and equally strong and beautiful women subordinates think they have what it takes, then who am I to deny their shot at me?" Naruto retorted while absentmindedly taking another bite of his food.

The males now knew they were in deep shit and were starting to fearfully sweat while the females stopped for a second to take in the compliment their teacher gave them about their beauty. That was short-lived, however, as Naruto started to release a growingly evil chuckle.

"I guess we'll see if you can back up your words tomorrow then, won't we?" Naruto concluded with his spiky bangs shadowing his eyes as he smiled at them as if they were merely easy prey just waiting to be taken down.

Deep shit indeed…

* * *

Night had fallen over the snowy village and the many beautiful stars started to blanket across the dark, never-ending sky, rapidly blinking in hopes those below them would witness their splendor. The crescent moon off in the distance was gracing the entire area with its glow providing a peacefully natural light that reflected into the untouched snow as if crystals were buried within its white fluffiness.

With the small festivities ending earlier, a great majority of the villagers at this time were huddled with their families around fires inside of their impressive homes. With a couple of competent waterbenders in the community, it comes to no surprise that they would offer their abilities to make an assortment of larger and homey igloos throughout the years. Most settled with a comfortable home that could easily shelter a family of four and then some, but those with a larger quantity of members were given igloos larger in width and sometimes even a second floor.

Even when they had the time before the warrior's departure three years prior, Katara and Naruto would build little clubhouses and watchtowers for the children and even set up some worthy of their brother tribe along the protective wall surrounding their village.

Speaking of the wall, that's where we find the pair of the South Pole's sole waterbenders as they were preparing to repair the damages done by the warship.

"That big hunk of metal really did a number on this place, didn't it?" Naruto muttered to himself with a visible breath leaving his mouth as he looked at the big opening in the wall giving him a clear view of the dark waters of the southern ocean; the reflection of the moon waving around calmly.

"Yeah, for a second we thought it was going to cut clean through the entire village." Katara replied as she too looked to the vast ocean.

"Well, good thing I got here then. Did you throw the kunai?" Naruto asked as he looked towards his fellow bender.

Katara turned to him, her sapphire blue eyes wide open still filled with lingering happiness. "Yup, I almost forgot we had it, but it's hard to forget when the situation just screamed 'emergency'." She finished with a slight laugh.

Naruto simply smiled back. "Well, good thing you did, otherwise I wouldn't have known what was happening, or at least wouldn't have gotten here in time. Anyway, we should get started." He lightly ordered.

Katara nodded as she and Naruto walked on opposite directions where the wall broke off on either side. With a quick wave of her hands, Katara quickly propelled herself towards the top with a small pillar of ice acting as a small elevator.

Naruto simply used chakra to make a single leap and land smoothly with a small crunch onto the packed snow. Katara looked over to his method and would've called him a showoff if not for her own belief that hers was just as awesome.

"You ready?!" Naruto yelled towards Katara's side as they both stood near their respective edges.

Katara gave a wave in confirmation and they got to work. In almost complete synchronization, they firmly planted their feet on the hardened snowy ground and waved their arms in the air getting a feel for the material they were grasping for. In no time at all the many chunks of the broken wall that were spread around the area started to shake and ever so slowly float towards the massive hole in their defense.

While the many shapes were making their way to their destination, other piled snow near them was gathered to become hardened material as well. Some of the ocean's water was even being lifted in a clean stream as it started to solidify more and more as it got near to the construction site.

Piece by piece, the wall started to become repaired as each side was closing in towards each other and the hole slowly closing. There was a slight, continuous sound of crunching snow being tightly back together as it was reaching the proper sturdiness that could be just as tough as stone. They would later make the inner workings solid ice, but had to first set up the overall shape. As the two sides were reaching each other, Katara and Naruto were slowly stepping towards one another as the edges they were next to were continuously expanding.

Eventually, both sides met each other and fully connected, completely repairing the wall.

Katara and Naruto were standing right next to each when the job was done with the former bending over with hands on knees breathing somewhat heavily with a little sweat forming on her head and the latter watching quietly while putting his hand on her shoulder.

Once the young waterbender regained her breath she looked up to Naruto's smiling face before he nodded. Katara smiled back and Naruto went to the small wall facing the ocean that came up to about his chest and leaned his arms on it.

"Man, I missed this view." He quietly said as Katara joined him in a similar position with a few inches between them.

"Yeah, it must've been hard not being home for that long." She responded.

That seemed to trigger a double meaning to Naruto as he thought about his original home, and the new one he made here. He quickly erased those thoughts and merely replied back. "It was."

They just calmly continued to watch the shadowed waves pushing and pulling onto the icy shores in peace. The beautiful site before them seemed almost too perfect and would be a crime to disturb, but Katara just had to make the most out of the moment.

She leaned back from her position and wrapped her arms around Naruto tightly from his side. "I really missed you." She mumbled into his sleeve.

Naruto seemed a tad bit surprised at first, but quickly hugged her back, swaying their bodies slightly as the sounds of waves were heard in the background. "I missed you too."

Eventually, she broke the embrace and looked up to his face with a small amount of reddening in her dark cheeks. "Sorry," She said, avoiding his gaze, "I just wanted to do that without everyone else around."

"Then I guess it was a good decision to ask for help instead of using my Kage Bunshin, huh?" Naruto replied with his smile still in place.

Katara meekly nodded while only looking at him in her peripheral line of sight.

Naruto only chuckled before he got her to face him while holding her at arm's length. "Now let me get a good look at you." He said while taking in the sight of the budding adult that he watched grow up.

Katara seemed a little confused at first, but just simply stood there with the flush on her face growing a little bit more.

In his observations he saw that she definitely wasn't the little girl he once knew. Her eyes were still the shining blue they've always been, but they now held a greater maturity that still hung on to the innocence she was accustomed to. Her leaner and blemish less face, along with her hair being set free on her shoulders and coat only enhanced her beauty. While not his height, she still matched Kya and looked to stay that way. Yup, she wasn't a little girl filled with endless wonder of everything around her. Here she was, a young adult filled with so much potential towards anything that she set her mind to.

"You really grew up to be a beautiful young woman, didn't you?" He asked rhetorically.

She only averted her gaze once again and quietly let out, "You don't have to be that straightforward…"

"I'm either really honest, or I just enjoy embarrassing you." He said with his smile turning foxy.

She looked back up with an accusing glare before playfully smacking his shoulder. "Grow up."

Right after she said that, she noticed his eyes wavered for a quick moment and gained a bit of seriousness in them.

All embarrassment forgotten, she grew a little worried. "What's wrong?"

Naruto seemed to struggle with his thoughts before relenting and letting out a tired sigh. "I forgot to mention it earlier, but I guess I might as well tell you first before everyone else."

"Tell me what?" She asked with worry still evident in her voice.

"Okay, let's see," He started while gathering his thoughts, "I was on my way here when a big light shot up into the sky-"

"Oh! That was Aang when we got him out of the glacier!" She interrupted.

"Glacier?" he asked which only got a quick nod from her. He sighed and asked, "Why don't you just fill me in on what happened with you today and I'll tell my side after? I was gonna wait till tomorrow, but now the curiosity is killing me." He stated and Katara nodded in agreement.

She started her tale by saying how she and Sokka went fishing that morning in a canoe and ran into a troubled stream which required quick maneuvering from Sokka's paddle and her waterbending. Somehow they miscalculated one of their moves and the canoe was destroyed which stranded them on a big platform of ice. An argument ensued which wasn't really surprising for the siblings, and she took her anger out by violently bending the water next to them.

This resulted in something neither expected. A big, glowing sphere of ice surfaced with the shape of Aang's body in a meditative state. Apparently he creepily opened up his glowing eyes and knocked them out of their shock which got her to get him out by breaking the ice, much to Sokka's cautious annoyance. What followed was the big explosion of beaming light that was noticed by anyone for miles around.

Once Aang gained his bearings, they were introduced and headed back to the village by riding his flying bison, Appa, who sadly couldn't fly at the time and had to lazily swim in the water. The villagers might have been wary before, but after dealing with the biggest newcomer in their friend Naruto, they welcomed Aang with open arms and were really interested in seeing the first airbender in a hundred years. He displayed some of his abilities which did impress them, mostly the children, but didn't overly shock them since they were used to seeing amazing things from their goofy shinobi.

Once the afternoon came around, she and Aang went to a beach nearby filled with penguins where Aang convinced her to go penguin sledding. After a short, yet exciting ride, they stumbled upon the old Fire Nation Navy ship that was stuck in the ice from waterbenders decades before. With Aang's curiosity peaked, he decided to explore it and even got her to follow him, although reluctantly.

Long story short, they triggered an old emergency flare which attracted the attention of Zuko's ship and got back to the village just before the warship made its way onto their shores. That's when they were confronted by Zuko and his forces and demanded to be given Aang as their prisoner. That's when she threw the Hiraishin kunai between both groups and Zuko shot a fireball at them believing it was an act of defiance and retaliation. That's when Naruto came into the picture and where the day carried on with what he already knew.

"Crazy day, huh?" Katara lamely said once she was done.

Naruto blankly nodded, but seemed to gain a look of realization on his face. "Wait, wait, hold up!" He said slightly startling his companion. "I missed a trap in that old ship?! AND you went penguin sledding with another man?!" He finished while pointing in accusation with his gloved index finger nearly touching her nose.

She just stared blankly at him. "That's what you got out of that?" She said in monotone, but still had a small smile threatening to break at the corner of her mouth.

Naruto sadly looked down. "I thought we had something…" He mumbled.

Katara blushed just barely at the thought of them as a couple, but she quickly recovered and hit him upside his head. "Just tell me what happened to you, already!

He looked back at her in mock pain, before letting out a chuckle and whispered, "Just like Kya." He then got serious again and told her his side. "Well, as I was saying before, the light shot up and-"

What followed was the detailed telling of his absorption of the Aang's apparent spiritual energy, his reunion with his furry friend, his awakening, and arrival back to the village.

Katara was enthralled by all of it, especially when he made contact again with the demon sealed within him.

Once Naruto was done, Katara was already filled with questions. "Wait, back to your conversation with Kurama, what does it mean by having extra Uzumaki lifetimes?"

Naruto just let out a sad smile. "Well, the Uzumaki were already known to have a longevity which helped them live longer than normal people. Even when they were getting to their late forties and fifties, they could still look to be in their twenties. With everything that happened to me before I showed up in the South Pole, I received a _bit _of an extension on my life. So, even if a century goes by, I'll probably still look like this and still have plenty of years left in me." He finished while gesturing to himself with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Katara let out a gasp and her eyes widened. "But that means you'll outlive…" She didn't finish her sentence as she now fully understood of what the blonde was now burdened with. He only looked back at her with a nod of grim acceptance.

Without a second thought she just buried her face into his chest with another hug. "W-what about u-us, and any k-kids you might have?" She mumbled into his shirt which a little heat rising to her face when children were mentioned.

Naruto just stood there and hugged her back. "Everyone has to go eventually." He quietly replied which only got her to squeeze him tighter while fighting back tears.

He pulled her from him and saw her glistening eyes and wiped away the few droplets of water that managed to escape. "Don't think too much into it. I just got enjoy the time I have with everyone as much as I can." He said with a smile.

She could only look back in sadness. "It still doesn't make it fair to you."

He could only shrug, but tried to lighten the mood. "Life isn't exactly fair, anyway. This just means I could spread my awesomeness to the rest of the world even more!"

Katara looked at him for a moment and just started to giggle, all negative feelings momentarily forgotten.

"Now come on," Naruto started, "We've been out here longer than we planned and we're probably worrying Kya, Sokka, and Aang."

Katara nodded and was about to head back, but Naruto stopped her. Looking to him in confusion, she was startled and frozen on the spot when Naruto leaned in and gave her a kiss on the forehead that lingered a little longer than she expected.

After a moment he pulled away and said, "That was for the one you gave me when I left, and Hakoda _did _say to send his love so there you go!" He then proceeded to jump off the edge and make his way back to their home.

With Katara will standing there looking blankly into space, she was only broken from her state when Naruto's echoed voice rang out.

"Hurry up and get down before your face melts the wall!" This of course was followed by the blonde's laughter.

With a blush that looked to stay for the rest of the night, she lifted her right hand and lightly touched the spot where Naruto's lips were, and let out a big smile. While holding in a shout of victory, she bended a makeshift slide from the snow below and made her way down the large wall.

She couldn't wait to rub it in the faces of all the other girls!

Apparently she wasn't the only one to build a crush on their favorite blonde…

* * *

"So, how should we do this?" Naruto asked as he looked across towards Sokka.

"One on one, just weapons and hand-to-hand; and absolutely no crazy magic tricks!" Sokka responded while mentally preparing himself with a battle club in hand.

Noon the next day had come and Sokka's challenge from the day before was not forgotten by Naruto, to the worry of the former. As soon as the village was bustling with activity, Naruto grabbed Sokka and told him to get ready for their spar. There was a short moment of relief for the other warriors since they thought it was just for their poor comrade, but that was immediately shot down when their blonde superior told them they weren't getting off easy.

Now here they were, just outside the village walls so they had plenty of room to move accompanied by the entire village as an audience.

'_Yup, no pressure at all.' _Sokka thought as he looked around.

"Alright then," Naruto said as he instantly unsealed his sword from his wrist and unsheathed it, letting the sun reflect off of its dark sheen as everyone heard the echoing sound of its metal being released, "Remember, come at me with the intent to kill." Naruto ordered as he pointed his weapon at Sokka.

Sokka nervously nodded, but quickly shook his head to get himself focused.

After a quick stare session between the two fighters, Sokka decided to take the initiative and charged in with a battle cry. Naruto stood calmly with his blade hanging by his side and stared impassively at the coming threat. Once Sokka reared his arm back to land a hard strike on Naruto's cranium, Naruto reacted so quickly it was nearly invisible to those around them. In the blink of an eye, Naruto raised his ninjato with both hands and blocked the attack by making contact with the club's notch.

Those around them looked on impressed at the spectacle, especially the children and Aang, but mostly because the young airbender was still trying to figure out where the sword came from in the first place. He just chalked it up to more secrets that he would hopefully learn in time.

Back to the battle was Sokka struggling to gain some ground on the standoff, but even with his improved strength, he still couldn't outmatch Naruto as shown by his shaking arms being pushed back. When he knew he was getting nowhere, he broke the contact and quickly stepped back making sure Naruto was far enough to observe.

"Damn Sokka, that was a lot more oomph than before! You've really been working hard, haven't ya?" Naruto commended as his blade faced the ground again.

Sokka nodded and swelled with pride, but was broken out of his sense of accomplishment when Naruto spoke again.

"However, the last time we fought was several years ago. That's plenty of time to improve, and now you're a big boy," Naruto said with a small smirk while getting into a stance in preparation, "And big boys get a big boy fight."

Sokka gulped loudly and tried to prepare for what was to come. _'Bury me with my boomerang, mom…' _He mentally pleaded.

With nearly inhuman speed, Naruto rushed in and got within Sokka's comfort zone. With a small pause in his rush, he gave Sokka just barely enough time to lift his club and block a heavy strike. Naruto immediately pulled back and instantly got behind Sokka using pure speed and went to slash at him again.

Sokka barely registered it in the corner of his eye and was able to roll out of the way in time as the sword quickly grazed the ground sending up a small amount of powdery snow. With as much speed as he could muster, Sokka got back up to his feet to face his opponent with his club at the ready to guard.

"Good, good," Naruto said, "Your reaction time is a lot better than before. See? All of those snowball ambushes weren't for nothing." He finished with a teasing grin.

Sokka's eye twitched. "And all of the paranoia I had to suffer through?!"

Naruto lazily shrugged. "It helped, didn't it? You always have to be on your toes, speaking of which…" And just as the words left his mouth, Naruto appeared right in Sokka's face to strike at him. With a panicked look in his eyes, Sokka blocked it to the best of his ability, but was knocked off balance. With an opening now presented before him, Naruto quickly got in close and struck Sokka in the gut with his knee.

Letting out a loud cough, Sokka fell to his knee and saw that Naruto backed away to simply watch him.

"Get up." Naruto said with authority.

Sokka looked at him for a few seconds before shakily getting up and holding his club at the ready again.

Naruto had a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Stand strong, Sokka." He whispered which only the young warrior was able to catch.

When the words registered in his head, Sokka tensed his muscles ready for anything and narrowed his blue eyes at Naruto's own.

"Good," Naruto quietly spoke before he let out a sigh, "Let's get going."

Without a chance to defend himself, Naruto got in close and moved to hit him, but was hastily blocked by the club only to receive single strike to his torso. For a few minutes this continued. Over and over Sokka would gather up just enough strength and speed to Naruto's main slash before immediately receiving a hard punch or kick to various areas of his body.

Those in the audience watched with slight worry, Kya especially, but they all knew that Naruto did the same thing to the older warriors. At the time, they all felt their pride was damaged and their skills no longer had much worth, but with a lot of convincing from Naruto and Hakoda who at the time knew what the blonde was capable of, they came to realize that he was just testing their skills and tried to humble them, even a little, by facing a vastly superior opponent. This helped them all strive to become stronger even more.

Now while Sokka sort of knew that, it didn't make this experience any less enjoyable. All over his body he could feel all sorts of bruises forming and throbbing. His bones were aching and he was continuously running out of steam.

At some point Naruto decided to change it up a bit and moved to stab Sokka in the gut, but from either luck or desperate instinct, Sokka sidestepped the attack and hit the sword from under it and knocked it out of Naruto's hands.

He watched as the shiny weapon swirled through the air before planting itself into the ground behind him. His eyes shone from his accomplishment of his successful counter, but Naruto took the initiative.

"Oh no, it seems I'm now defenseless," Naruto spoke with obvious sarcasm before instantly appearing in front of Sokka as he was still looking at the sword, "Never let your guard down." He said in finality before he hit Sokka even harder than before in the gut.

As the fist made contact, Sokka coughed out a few drops of blood and fell to his knees. As he fell, Naruto's balled fist never lost contact as he crouched down with his student and leaned in towards his ear.

"Good job, Sokka. You lasted longer than I thought. You've really grown into a fine man. I'm proud of you." He whispered which made Sokka form an unseen and slightly bloody grin.

"Thank you." He let out in a raspy voice.

Naruto chuckled and leaned back before he brought a now glowingly green palm to Sokka's back as he started to heal the minor injuries.

The other warriors and Sokka's family gathered as the fight was now over and a random warrior asked, "How'd he do?"

"Well, he can really take a beating." He chuckled which got a few in response, but the warriors were getting increasingly nervous for their own session to come. "He has the strength and speed I expected him to have, but there's still a lot of room for improvement. I'm guessing the same could be said for all of you, but we're just gonna have to find out, won't we?" He said with an all too innocent smile.

All of the young fighters suddenly felt as if they should properly kiss their own asses goodbye before they met their own demises…

* * *

It was an hour later that all of the spars finally came to an end. After providing every young male and female fighter with a Kage Bunshin, they got to work. Just like Sokka, they were completely outmatched and were tested to their absolute limits. Everyone had at least a few cuts and bruises, but nothing a little medical ninjutsu couldn't help with.

The only unique spar was between the original Naruto and Katara since it was primarily a waterbending battle much to Aang's interest. This also somehow made him forget the spectacle of Kage Bunshins before which only added to the pattern of seeing impossible things from the shinobi and dismissing them for later.

With both benders using whatever techniques they made from improvising throughout the years, it was a little more evenly matched. However, with the addition of countless hours of training from Naruto with his clones, in addition to being able to form suiton jutsus through bending, Naruto was given a big advantage, although he held back using jutsus and just decided to attack with whips and waves of water. It wasn't surprising to Katara and she knew she would lose, but she did try her best. She was able to ride the snow as if surfing and launch the occasional bullet or stream of water, but was thwarted by Naruto blocking with water walls and doing some surfing of his own to dodge. Ultimately, Naruto won by getting close to Katara and holding an ice spike to her neck.

Now, while Naruto did want to have Katara fight without bending if need be, he knew she was just under everyone else's ability if what he was told was correct, so he decided to forgo any physical fighting with her for now.

Besides, he _really _wanted to get another order of business taken care of.

"Hey, Aang!" Naruto yelled after his fight with Katara was over with and gestured him over to his position.

"Yeah?" Aang responded when he walked over.

"You don't mind if I see some airbending, do you?"

Aang's eyes seemed to light up. "No Problem!" He exclaimed.

After his agreement, Aang faced away from Naruto and took in a deep breath. Unbeknownst to him, Naruto activated a certain dojutsu to properly 'observe' the bending that was about to take place.

Once Aang was ready, he launched his hands into the air and released what reminded Naruto of Fūton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough). Naruto watched Aang closely and saw that like firebending, his chi was powerfully exerted from where the respected element shot out from. In Aang's case, he had silvery grey strings in his chi confirming his natural air affinity.

With something now to work from, Naruto thanked Aang for his demonstration and everyone went back to whatever business they had back in the village. Naruto just told Katara that he'll join back later because he now had a little 'project' to work on. Knowing exactly what he was doing, Katara wished him good luck and headed back home with her family.

Naruto would go on to create a few dozen clones to simultaneously work on getting airbending down. Since he had experience with the other three elements, it didn't take as long to get this new ability working. In only a few hours Naruto was able to shoot out gusts of wind which resulted in a great shout of victory that managed to echo back to the village and startle a few citizens.

With Naruto's new accomplishment, it was on this day where the Avatar, or at least someone _extremely _similar, was now born. However, the rest of the world will first be aware of the _actual _Avatar very soon…

* * *

It was just after sunset when Naruto was making his way back to his surrogate family's igloo. On the way he would receive small greetings which he happily returned. After a short walk, he arrived to his destination, he saw Appa taking a nap right next to the home and walked through the tarp that acted as a door and proceeded through the small living room into the kitchen. There, he found Katara helping Kya and Konna with dinner while Aang and Sokka were sitting and waiting in the small dining room.

"Make any progress, Naruto?" Katara asked while carrying a pot of leftover stew.

Naruto grinned back. "You have no idea."

"Progress with what?" Kya asked from where she was gathering dishes.

"Oh, you'll see." Naruto answered back mysteriously.

Kya and Konna looked to each other and shrugged. With Naruto around, strange things always happened, so they wouldn't dwell on it too much.

* * *

With a filling and delicious meal now done, not to mention Naruto supplying Aang with more vegetable ramen to his joy, everyone was now gathered in the living room conversing.

"So what were you doing earlier, Naruto?" Kya asked.

Naruto looked around in excitement. "I'll just show you." He said while rubbing his palms in preparation.

Everyone except Katara was confused and immediately gasped as Naruto faced his palm forward and let out a very small breeze of wind.

No one was more surprised than Aang, though, as he shot up from where he was sitting and shouted with shock and happiness, "You're an airbender?!"

Naruto cheekily looked at him. "Now I am."

Aang grew confused. "Now you are- wait!" He said while pointing at the blonde. "You've already bended water and fire! How are you doing that?!"

Naruto looked back blankly. "How did you forget that?"

Aang broke his shocked face to look a little sheepish and didn't seem to have an answer.

Naruto and the others chuckled a little before he answered. "Let's just say I'm a little 'special.' I'm a man of many talents and secrets that will absolutely blow. Your. Mind." He finished with a very small flame shooting out of each palm into the air next to his head for added effect.

"But- I- what- how- this is too confusing!" Aang shouted while gripping his head in frustration.

Naruto paid it no mind as he continued. "Oh yeah, I learned some earthbending too!" He said happily which got Aang to look at him in even more shock and looked to talk before Naruto said, "And no, I'm not the Avatar. You're stuck with that job, arrowhead."

The airbender's face kept on showing all kinds of emotions as he was still trying to wrap his head around this new information. How can you bend multiple elements and NOT be the Avatar?!

To the rest of the family, the new knowledge of Naruto being an earthbender now didn't surprise them. While he didn't mention it until now, they just sort of expected it and continued to watch in amusement.

While Aang was still in his state of confusion and shock, Katara nudged Naruto's arm from her seat next to him. He looked to her and was confused by her serious look until she leaned in closer to him.

"You should probably tell them about the whole Uzumaki life thing." She whispered.

Naruto's face suddenly grew serious as well and looked to contemplate it. The others seemed to notice, even Aang as he momentarily calmed down, and Kya asked, "Naruto, what's wrong?"

The shinobi looked around the room to everyone's faces as they were illuminated by the small fire. They were all filled with interest and worry.

Once he decided what to do, he let out a long exhale through his nose and started to speak. "Well…last night when Katara and I were fixing the wall, we talked about what happened on both of our ends the day I came back."

They all nodded in understanding which got him to go on.

"Since you all know what happened with Katara, Sokka, and Aang, I'll just tell you my side."

From there, just like the night before with Katara, he talked about the big light, Kurama, and making it back to the village. Of course the biggest part was about his lengthened life.

Once he was done, everyone was just looking at him in silence. They started to warily look to each other not knowing exactly how to continue.

"Well…" Konna started to say which got everyone's attention on her, "Looking young and living longer; sounds nice." She said in fake longing.

That managed to put a smile on most of their faces and even make Naruto give out a little chuckle. However, one of them wasn't too cheery at the moment.

"This isn't a joke!" Kya let out with a raised voice, "That's practically a curse!"

"No one said it was a joke, Kya. This is just how my life is gonna be. The sooner you can all accept it, the better off you'll be. It's not like this is that big of a deal." Naruto said.

"Not that big a deal?! How is it not a big deal to watch everyone you know and will know die?! What if you want to raise a family?! No parent should ever outlast their child!" Kya exclaimed.

Naruto just sat up and went to firmly put his hands on Kya's shoulders. "Kya!" He somewhat yelled which got her to look right at him in response, "I can handle it, you know I can." He said in a whisper.

Kya looked into his eyes contemplating what he said. Of course she knew that this veteran shinobi could handle big things such as this, but it doesn't mean that she can stand by and not be angry by even more unfairness in his life. He was family and she will love him just the same as her own children, so just like a mother it's not a surprise for her to want to protect him even though deep in her mind she knew it was futile.

She gave out a big sigh, closed her eyes, and embraced Naruto much like her daughter did the night before. "You've already been through so much..." She said slightly muffled by his black shirt

"I know," He responded, "That's why if anyone can get through this, it's me, dattebayo!" He slightly flinched and let out, "I can never get rid of that." He finished in a defeated sigh.

Kya and the others giggled or chuckled while Aang spoke. "Dat-te-ba-yo?" He sounded out in confusion.

"Just forget you ever heard that!" Naruto quickly replied which got more laughs and a kiss on the cheek from Kya as she sat back down and spoke with a clearer head.

"Since raising a family was brought up, are you ever going to Naruto? Maybe even find a nice Water Tribe girl?" She asked teasingly while giving a small wink to Katara which was only noticed by the waterbender.

With both the young girl and the blonde now blushing for their own reasons, Naruto replied with, "Uh…I-I guess I never really thought about it." He now had a nervous hand rubbing the back of his head with an equally nervous foxy smile.

"Really now?" She suddenly sent him a stern glance which didn't help his current anxiety. "Grandchildren." She plainly said.

"Huh?" The shinobi lamely replied with a surprised look.

"Now, I'm not asking for much. Just six or seven will do-"

"Six?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"-so I expect some progress within the next few years or I'll string you up myself, got it?" She said innocently.

"I…uh…" Naruto stammered out, "Wait! You got two other kids, you know?!"

Kya blankly looked to her children. She looked to Katara first and sent her another unnoticeable wink which got her face to become more heated and then looked to Sokka while lingering on him a bit. Once a few seconds passed, she looked back to Naruto. "Like I said, you need to get to work." She said with innocent dismissal ignoring Sokka's muttered, "What's that supposed to mean?" in the background.

Naruto could only sigh and rub the bridge of his nose. Why did Kya's devious side always come out when she wanted to embarrass him? However, he was given mercy when Aang joined back in.

"Excuse me?" He said with a hand raised, "But I still have _no _idea what's going on!"

The rest of the igloo's occupants only looked a bit sheepish before they all turned towards Naruto since all of this craziness mostly revolved around him. Naruto coughed into his hand and gave Aang his full attention.

"Well, since I pretty much tortured you enough, I'll fill you in on everything and more."

Aang nodded in thanks as Naruto continued. "Just follow me out of the village to where we sparred and you'll be up to date."

"Why out of the village?" Aang asked as he followed Naruto out of the door.

"Air Nomads were all about peace, love, and stuff, right?" Naruto asked over his shoulder.

"Uh, yeah I guess." Aang responded with a shrug.

"Yeah, we'll definitely need to be out of the way." This only confused the airbender more, but followed nonetheless.

Everyone watched on and gave a silent 'good luck' to whatever could happen.

* * *

Once they made it out into the wide open landscape with only the light of the moon guiding them, Naruto turned to Aang and said, "Okay, let's get this over with."

"Get what over with? You're just supposed to tell me what's going on, right?"

"Um, sorta…but the reason for what I'm about to do and show you is because I want you to trust me for a plan I'm setting up later."

"What plan?"

"You'll see, but first, ultimate story time!"

"What?" Aang said with an arched eyebrow, but was quickly stunned beyond belief when he saw Naruto's eyes change from their vibrant blue to a crimson red.

"What is-"

"**Tsukoyomi!"**

* * *

The absolute violation of the young Avatar's mind was now over. With quivering eyes, arms, and legs, he fell to his knees trying to fathom what he was just shown.

First, he found himself in some negative-colored world and instantly panicked before he was immediately bombarded with Naruto's life. The neglect, isolation, and persecution throughout his childhood could bring a tear to anyone's eye. That's what made the moments of happiness he had that more special like his first bowl of ramen and the friendships he was able to make.

However, when he was shown the life of a shinobi, he was shown absolute brutality he never knew he would lay witness to.

Somehow he was spared from seeing most of the gore of it all, but the implications of so many deaths that Naruto witnessed didn't make it any easier. Enemy or ally, it didn't matter. They all just seemed to drop like flies and dismissed just as quickly, especially during the war involving all of the shinobi nations.

Emotions of anger and sorrow was a constant, depending on who was involved. On the occasion of Naruto losing someone close to him was when emotions arose to their fullest in the memory. Obstacle after obstacle, Naruto powered through with determination to protect the innocent and those he cherished most.

Once the battle with Kaguya was concluded, Aang now knew everything. This included Kurama, Naruto's abilities, how he pretty much lost everything when he dropped in eight years ago, and how his presence in this world came to be. Wow, another dimension…completely unbelievable. Then there was the, while not as exciting, but still interesting, eight year timeframe he's been in this world. It was easy to admit that in his fourteen…err…one hundred and fourteen years of life, that this was the absolute craziest thing he has ever been a part of.

Now he was just staring into snowy space with Naruto gauging his reaction.

"Y-you've k-killed people…" Aang shakily let out.

"Yes, doesn't mean I enjoyed it."

"B-but y-you-"

"Look, Aang," Naruto started while crouching down and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I did this because I wanted you to know what kind of a person I am, so there could be absolute trust between us." He said now looking into Aang's still disturbed eyes. "I didn't show everyone else here all of that stuff until I trusted them with every fiber of my being, except Hakoda because I wanted to earn his trust, but you're a special case. Now, you _must _understand that we come from two different worlds where things obviously worked differently. Children were being trained to be killers in order to protect their villages, families, and friends. When people you care about are in danger from people with the kinds of abilities you saw, you would do absolutely _anything _to protect them, and sadly, that's what it had to come to sometimes." He finished while now sitting next to Aang.

Silence came between them with both just staring off into the distant snowy hills and icy mountains. Second after second it became more unbearable for them until Naruto started to talk once more.

"Now the case with the Southern Raiders was a little special. Normally, I wouldn't really think of being that ruthless, but just the memory of Kya losing her life because of them before I was able to do you-know-what royally pissed me off. Then when I found out they were targeting Katara in the first place…" He let that drawl on as his fists balled, "I wanted nothing more than to make sure they wouldn't do things like that to anyone else. I wasn't planning on blowing up their ships, I just wanted them out of commission and scared. Then as soon as I saw their damn mission log, I found out just how despicable they really all were. A lot of innocent lives were taken by their hands, and the few prisoners they did take didn't exactly last long. So in the end, I did what I wanted to accomplish, but it ended up a _bit _more excessive than what was originally planned." He finished with a slightly regretful sigh.

Aang didn't respond and just looked down while Naruto gave a side-glance to him.

"Do you think I'm a monster, Aang?"

Still no response.

"Am I just some sick, murdering animal with no heart?"

Aang mumbled something, but couldn't be heard clearly.

"Hm?" Naruto sounded as he leaned in, "What was that?"

Aang sighed before slowly looking to him. "I said you're not."

"And how am I not then?"

Aang gave himself a moment to think.

"Because…because if you were then you wouldn't have done all of the amazing things you've done. You've risked your life to protect those that you love despite everything that you've gone through and what you've had to face. You've always put others first and that's very admirable…"

"But?" Naruto added.

"But when you…killed people…couldn't there have been another way?"

Naruto sighed. "I always wish there was, but sometimes it's unavoidable. It's not like I have a lot of kills under my belt compared to some of the other shinobi I worked with, but there are times when it just happens. There are instances where it's a split-second decision where you either kill them, or let them kill your comrade, yourself, or even someone not involved or doesn't deserve it. Yes, you can try and capture them, but the moment can be too quick to even think about it. Then there were the times where you could find yourself facing someone with a mentality so messed up, one that's capable of killing innocent people without feeling anything, and has already done such terrible things that shouldn't even be brought into reality, that you have to just rid them of their evil…permanently…do you see where I'm getting at?"

Aang lightly nodded. "Doesn't mean I agree with it. Killing shouldn't ever solve a problem."

Naruto nodded back. "And it's good to have a mindset like that, but with how I was raised, a world like that is something you could only dream of. Even right now, out there in the other elemental countries, there are people fighting and dying, and there is nothing we could do about that. That's how it's been for the last hundred years and it doesn't seem like it's gonna change anytime soon."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Aang responded with more emotion in his voice.

"Oh? And why is that?" Naruto said with a smirk just waiting to spring up.

"Because…"

"Because…?" Naruto drawled on.

"Because…the world has its…Avatar back." He finished with a slight smile.

"You're damn right it does!" Naruto yelled as he smacked Aang in the back hard enough to send his face into the somewhat deep snow. Aang merely raised his head to send a glare to his now standing companion.

"And you can bet your ass that you're not going at it alone!"

Making his way out of the snow Aang asked, "What do you mean?"

Naruto smiled cheekily. "Remember I mentioned a plan?" Aang nodded, "Well, what do you think Mr. Scarface is gonna do?"

Realization came onto Aang's face. "He's going to come after me!"

Naruto nodded. "Exactly! And with you being here…"

"They'll come back and attack the village!" Aang yelled.

"Yup, and the last I checked, you're not needed here. You're needed…pretty much everywhere else in the world." Naruto said.

"So you're saying I should leave?"

"Yes, but not without some awesome company!" Naruto exclaimed proudly.

"Uh…who?" Aang asked innocently.

Naruto visibly deflated, but instantly came back to his previous enthusiasm. "Me!" He exclaimed pointing his thumb to his chest.

"You- oh!" Aang started, "You're like an Avatar too! And there is no way anyone can beat you!"

"Eh, sort of." Naruto shrugged.

"Huh?" Aang sounded.

"Well, I'm not going to just do your job for you. I already did the whole child of prophecy, saving the world bullshit. It's your turn to suffer, arrowhead."

Ignoring the dirty language, Aang said, "So what are you even planning?"

"I was thinking along the lines of a team with a couple of Avatars…kind of…traveling around the world getting your ass into shape worthy of your title and stopping the war. I haven't really worked out the details, but what do you think?" Naruto asked.

"Can't you just teach me? You already know how to bend all of the elements, right?"

"While that is true my bald friend, my bending is just pure improvising combined with my jutsu knowledge. I don't exactly bend 'traditionally'," He said while making air quotes with his fingers, "So I really wouldn't know how to teach properly."

"What about Katara?"

"Anything she knows is what she and I have come up with by messing around. I'm pretty sure a seasoned waterbender can probably beat her down pretty easily, maybe even me if I just use pure bending, so helping you train in the other elements from scratch won't be productive enough."

Aang just sighed in defeat and relented.

"That's kinda why I want to bring her too, so she can reach her full potential." Naruto said.

"Really?" Aang said sounding a bit more excited with the possibility of having his new friend travel with him.

"Yup, probably Sokka too. I did sort of say I would bring them out into the world someday. Saving the world is a pretty good excuse, don't ya think?"

Aang quickly nodded.

"Well, it's settled then! We'll head back and sleep, then tell everyone the plan tomorrow. Sound good?" Naruto asked.

Aang once again nodded and turned to head back to the village, but was stopped by Naruto's hand on his shoulder.

"Just remember, I don't want you to agree with how I have or will handle things such as the whole…'permanently ending' subject. I just want you to understand where I'm coming from, at least a little. I'm not some killing machine, got it?"

Aang looked back at him sternly with the dark thoughts coming back. He continued to stare at him before facing forward again. "Just promise me that you'll fight with your heart before anything else when it really matters."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Sounds a little cheesy, but alright, I promise, and I never go back on my word, dattebayo!" He said with a foxy smile which immediately disappeared as Aang looked at him blankly.

"Let's just go back…" Naruto said in defeat with Aang still not sure how to react to the strange verbal tic. Nevertheless, they started to make their way to the family igloo.

"Why did we come out here anyway?" Aang inquired.

"Oh, just in case you snapped or something. After feeling your power when you woke up from your ice nap, I didn't really know what to expect."

Aang nodded in understanding as they trudged on.

"Now this promise doesn't mean I'm not gonna kick someone's ass when they deserve it, though." Naruto absentmindedly said to himself.

Aang heard it, though, and sent him a mock side-glare.

Naruto merely shrugged it off as they went to turn in for the night. It's certainly been a long day for those in what would later be dubbed 'The Gaang.'

* * *

"Really?!" The excited voices of Katara and Sokka rang out.

"Yes, my young friends! And I promise that this journey will be filled with plenty of action, adventure, suspense, romance and anything you can possibly think of! The time to fulfill our destiny begins now!" Naruto yelled out proudly.

"Can it wait until after breakfast?" Konna lazily said as she took a sip of tea.

"Destiny waits for no mealtime, Gran Gran!" Naruto replied.

It was the next morning and while the family was waiting for their morning meal, Naruto told everyone his plan to help Aang travel and master the elements. This, of course, included taking Katara and Sokka along.

Konna's cranky morning mood didn't waver. "Well, why don't you go tell destiny to wait before I shove a penguin up its-"

"You better stop that sentence right now or no breakfast for anyone!" Kya threatened while pointing her all mighty wooden spoon towards everyone in the dining room.

Konna held herself back, but that didn't stop her from letting out a few grumbles in response.

"And why would you leave already? You just got back, Naruto." Kya said as she came in with her prepared breakfast.

"Well, it's not just me. Aang's whole Avatar thing is the reason this trip is happening, so he's a given, then there's Katara and Sokka-"

"And Appa." Aang chimed in.

"-and Appa, of course; can't forget about him." Naruto finished.

"But why Katara and Sokka?" Kya asked growing more concerned.

"I did promise I would take them out one day, and this is the perfect opportunity, so why not?"

Kya still seemed unsure.

"Kya," Naruto started, "Sooner or later Zuko and his crew are going to come back. For all we know, word has reached back to the higher ups of the Fire Nation and Aang will probably have a big target on his head before we know it. To them, the Avatar is probably their biggest threat right now."

Aang paused mid-slurp with cheeks full of ramen as he looked towards Naruto.

"See," Naruto gestured to the airbender, "Absolutely terrifying."

Aang merely sent a messy smile back and went back to eating.

"They also have to deal with me now since I'm going to help Aang with ending this war," Naruto said smugly, "So your kids have the ultimate bodyguards, not that they can't defend themselves."

Kya looked between them closely before sighing and closing her eyes from her seat. She opened them shortly after and smiled sadly. "I suppose I wasn't going to look after you all forever."

The Water Tribe siblings let big smiles take over their faces while Naruto sent Aang a thumbs up that was happily returned.

"But!" Kya added which got everyone to look at her, "If I find out that any of them gets seriously hurt, it's on your head, Naruto." She threatened while pointing her wooden spoon at him with a certain fire in her eyes.

Naruto shrank in his seat and gave a scared salute. "Understood."

"Good." Kya responded with an innocent grin before she started eating her own food.

"Anyway…" Naruto said before looking at Aang, "Didn't you mention some cool airbending move earlier that you said you would teach me?"

Aang enthusiastically nodded. Helping out another airbender was always a pleasure for Aang.

"Yeah! Actually, it's one I invented myself! I call it the Air Scooter!"

"Cool. Show me it after breakfast." Naruto said and Aang agreed.

Once all of their bellies were satisfied, they headed out, but instead of heading out towards the area outside the community, Aang excitedly wanted to get started right outside the igloo. Thankfully it was in the open area where Naruto used to play…err…train with the children in the middle of all the homes.

"Okay, watch closely." Aang said with an unbreakable smile before simultaneously jumping a bit and creating a decently sized sphere of air that he landed and balanced on. Without hesitation, Aang started speeding around Naruto and the Water Tribe family at high speeds before taking off around the village. Cries of surprise and awe were constantly heard around them as Aang was quickly maneuvering between objects and humans alike. It was a really impressive sight to see the absolute control Aang had over the technique.

Eventually, he came racing to where he started and dispelled the sphere as he slid on the snow just before reaching Naruto because of the momentum.

"There, now you try." Aang happily said.

Naruto looked at him then walked to where he had room. Mentally cursing himself for not using the Sharingan to observe the technique better, Naruto took in a breath and tried to do the same exact actions as Aang.

While he did succeed in making the sphere and timed the jump right, as soon as his foot met the ball of air he was forced into a backflip and landed in the snow with great force face first; all while the ball of air shot forward from his position before quickly dispersing.

No one knew how to react until Naruto let out a barely audible, "Ow…"

That set everyone off, including the now gathered spectators, as they all laughed to their heart's content.

* * *

A few more days passed by in the Southern Water Tribe as the four hopeful travelers decided to spend some more time with their family and friends.

Over the course of this time, at some point the news of the small group's imminent departure got out which, while saddening, was an amazing circumstance and a definite part of history, so they gave their best wishes to them. This, however, resulted in a few more feasts for some quality time between them and the rest of the village.

Sadly, for Naruto, the information about his extremely extended life also got out. As a result, he was a victim of more than a few cases of pity, although it did warm his heart to see exactly how many people did care about him. The hugs and kisses from the women didn't hurt either, so it was easy to shrug off for now.

Now it was in the morning just about a week after Naruto's return and the whole village was gathered near the icy shores waiting to give the group a heartfelt sendoff. There was some offerings of extra food and clothing which Naruto gratefully took and stored away in a storage scroll, but left a reasonable amount of each packed onto Appa's saddle for the other's convenience.

"You sure you have everything?" Kya asked the group of four as they were making final preparations on Appa.

"Just like the first three times, yes, we're good to go. Don't worry too much, Kya." Naruto responded with an understanding smile.

"I have the right to worry!" Kya said but quickly mellowed out, "But I know you can take care of things, but can you blame me?"

Naruto shook his head. "I guess not, you're a mother after all."

"Just take solace in the fact that you have a one man army traveling with the kids." Konna offhandedly said next to Kya.

That seemed to settle the worried mother down a bit.

With everything ready, Katara, Sokka, and Aang made their way from Appa to Naruto, Kya and Konna.

"Well, this is it…" Katara meekly said while looking at her mother, her eyes moistening somewhat.

Kya's eyes copied her daughter's before she wrapped her up as tight as her arms would allow and rocked her back and forth.

Once they finally separated, Kya kissed her cheek and then held her at arm's length and said, "I love you."

"I love you too." Katara responded before backing away and rubbing her eyes before giving a hug just as warm to her grandmother.

Sokka then stepped up definitely looking worse for wear. His eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, a small line of snot was visible from his right nostril, and his lip was quivering something fierce.

Sadly looking back and forth from his mother and grandmother, he suddenly let everything out and sobbed while hugging them both. It took a moment to register, but Kya and Konna started to hug him back while whispering small words of comfort.

After a moment he pulled back and gathered himself. With a final sniff he said, "Love you both."

"Love you too." His mother and grandmother said with both giving him a pick on either cheek.

"You're next, Aang." Kya said gesturing him over.

With a small smile he made his way over and got a, while not as big, a still motherly embrace.

"Help take care of my kids, alright Mr. Avatar?" She said sending him a warm smile.

"You got it." He replied before giving a quick hug to Konna.

Naruto watched all of this with his own sad smile and was just wondering what lay ahead of them from here on.

"You're not off the hook either, whiskers." Konna said breaking him out of his thoughts.

Looking towards the elderly woman who dared to still call him that nickname, he saw her arms open for her own hug.

Without hesitation he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her while to proceeding to surprise the hell out of her by picking her up and kissing her wrinkly cheek. After setting her back down he said, "You know, for some odd reason, I think I might miss hearing that every day."

While still shaking off the small moment of excitement she responded, "And oddly enough, I guess I'll miss that smart mouth of yours." She said with a tired grin.

Naruto chuckled and turned to Kya. Just like her mother-in-law, she had her arms opened up expectantly.

Gaining an ear-splitting grin, he grabbed her and spun her around earning a startled yelp from her. When he set her down, he continued to hug her tightly and placed a kiss on top of her head.

She pulled back and kissed him back on his cheek. "Remember, do whatever you need to keep them safe." She ordered sternly, but she wasn't overly serious if the twinkle in her eye was anything to go by.

Naruto firmly nodded. "I never go back on my word." He whispered before quickly unsealing a leather rolling pouch and handing it to Kya.

She was slightly confused until she unrolled it and saw five of Naruto's Hiraishin Kunai. She looked up to him when he said, "Just in case there is any more trouble here." He then took one out of its secure spot and threw it into a nearby ice pillar.

She watched the action and looked back to the blonde in curiosity. "That's for visiting when we can, and don't worry, no distance is too far; I made sure of it." He said.

Her face lit up at the revelation and gave him a hug once again before stepping back. "Good luck." She whispered.

Naruto nodded again before gesturing everyone to get on Appa for takeoff.

"Oh yeah, bye Appa!" Kya yelled while sending a wave to the bison.

Appa let out a loud groan in response that got the kids to lightly laugh at.

Once double-checking over everything on board their transportation, Naruto, Katara, Sokka, and Aang gave one last wave to the friendly village before the airbender took Appa's reigns and yelled, "Yip yip!"

With another groan and a flap of his tail, Appa sent out a gust of wind around him and shot off into the sky.

"Take care everyone!" Katara yelled down below.

"See you soon!" Sokka added.

"We'll try not to die, dattebayo!" Naruto yelled before being lightly swatted on the back of his head by Katara. This got the rest of the village laughing and they sadly, yet happily waved back in goodbye.

As the bison became a smaller speck in the sky Konna said, "Those kids are going to change the world, aren't they?"

With quivering oceanic eyes that let out single tear, Kya simply replied with, "I know they will."

* * *

A few minutes have passed as the young adults relaxed and enjoyed the views that surrounded them. While it was just constantly an enormous body of water and the occasional glacier, it was still quite the sight to see.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Sokka asked.

"Well, the goal is to help Aang master the elements and ultimately stop the war, so we have to focus on where he can learn." Naruto replied.

"Well, according to legend, Aang has to first master water, then earth, then fire, right?"

"That's what the monks told me." Aang added.

"So we can go the North Pole and you can master waterbending!" Katara excitingly replied.

Aang's eyes lit up. "We can learn it together!"

"Don't count me out, arrowhead." Naruto said with a smirk.

Aang only smiled at having the support of learning with friends.

"Although with the North Pole on the other side of the world, we just might run into some Fire Nation soldiers. Isn't that a shame, Sokka?" Naruto asked with a deadly smirk.

The wolf-tailed warrior only smirked back with life beaming in his eyes. "Yup, such a shame." He said while absentmindedly reaching for his boomerang.

"Alright, then we're in this together!" Katara said.

Just after she said that, Aang brought out a scroll and said, "Okay then, but before we learn waterbending, we have some serious business to attend to," He started and then pointed at several spots on the now opened map of the elemental world, two in the Earth Kingdom, and one near the Patola Mountains, "Here, here, and here."

"What's there?" Katara asked pointing to one of the spots.

He pointed in the eastern Earth Kingdom. "Here is where we'll ride the hopping llamas," He then pointed on some islands near the Patola Mountains, "Then way over here we'll ride on the backs of giant koi fish," He pointed to the last mark on in the Earth Kingdom, "Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like it when people ride them, but that's what makes it fun!" He finished with an excited smile.

The other three were a little confused at the detours, but just accepted them as something to deal with when they cross that bridge. Still, it did sound really interesting and even fun.

* * *

Moving along on the southern waters at a fast pace was the warship commanded by the scarred prince, Zuko. Standing at the front of the deck with his currently tea-drinking uncle, retired Fire Nation general and fabled Dragon of the West, Iroh, he stared out into the distant blue with a strong leer.

"This time we won't fail." Zuko said in complete confidence.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Prince Zuko," Iroh calmly replied, "You saw what that man could do. While his abilities are really a mystery, you shouldn't take any opponent lightly. He and the Avatar together could be a major threat that we might not be able to handle."

"If you keep speaking like that, then we are guaranteed for failure!" Zuko snarled.

Iroh could only shake his head. "You have to be realistic about these things. While confidence can be helpful, it can also be your downfall." He said sagely.

"That doesn't mean-"

"Prince Zuko!" Their spotter yelled from the upper railing.

"What is it?!" The scarred man yelled as he turned around.

The man pointed forward desperately. "Look! There's something heading right for us!"

Zuko directed his attention back forward and squinted, trying to focus on the small dot approaching in the air. After a few moments of observation, he was able to make out the big, white bison he momentarily saw back at the South Pole. It wasn't hard to deduce the owner of such a beast.

With eyes widening Zuko got his men's attention. "Helmsman! Head straight for the Avatar's bison! Everyone else, prepare for confrontation!" Like clockwork, everyone did as they were told and hastily getting themselves ready mentally and physically.

Zuko only kept his hard gaze on the flying creature for a few more moments before uttering, "You're not getting away this time."

* * *

"Oh, that's just complete bull crap!" Naruto yelled as he looked at the swirling ball in Aang's upturned palm.

"See? I don't know why you said it was something hard to learn." Aang responded smugly.

"That's because it is! I worked my ass off to learn that technique and- wait…" Naruto said before taking out some strips of blubbered seal jerky out of a nearby pouch and held them bundled together in a closed fist. "Touch the jerky with the ball." He plainly ordered.

With a raised eyebrow and shrug, Aang slowly moved the swirling ball of air and touched the dried meat. As he made contact, the ball hardly affected it at all before he just decided to cut off the chi, dispelling it.

"HA!" Naruto shouted, "Now watch how it's supposed to be done."

Opening up his own palm, blue energy started to surge in his hand before it took the shape of a similar sphere before he made contact with the jerky.

To Aang's surprise the meat was utterly destroyed and shredded.

"There you go, I knew you couldn't do a Rasengan! Shows you to try and copy my technique." Naruto said with a huff. Apparently just a few moments ago Aang suddenly remembered the fabled swirling sphere from the memories that Naruto showed him and idly noted that it was like airbending. Therefore, he thought he could do the same thing, but sadly he forgot that the energy to create such a technique were completely different and it didn't require an element…well…unless it's the Rasenshuriken, but that's something else entirely…

"You mean like how you had to copy how I airbend?" Aang fired back. While he technically was copied of his power, having a fellow airbender around could make him care less. Plus, he could be a teacher to Naruto, and that just sounded like it could be fun.

Naruto blinked. "Point taken."

"Um, guys! Look!" Sokka yelled out from his spot at the front of the saddle.

Naruto and Aang made their way to his position with Katara now taking notice as well next to Sokka. "What is it?" Naruto asked.

Sokka only pointed ahead.

Naruto looked and definitely went on alert. "Oh…that."

Off in the distance was the same fire Nation warship that he remembered Scarface boarding before with smoke puffing wildly in the air and on route to intercept them.

"We could just turn and lose them." Sokka said.

However, Naruto's eyes twinkled with deviousness and a predator-like smirk made its way on his face. "Nah, where is the fun in that? I think I want to say hello to Mr. Prince, so full speed ahead!" Naruto shouted with smirk still in place.

"What are you going to do?" Katara asked getting a little skittish at the thought of a fight this early with the Fire Nation.

Naruto gave a foxy smile to her. "Let's just get close and you'll find out."

Despite the hesitance the others felt, they mentally shrugged and continued on their collision course with the banished prince.

* * *

"They don't seem to be changing direction." Iroh noted.

With a sense of a victory already churning in his gut, Zuko let out a barely noticeable smirk before he started barking orders to those he commanded. "Remember, I want all firebenders on deck! Everyone else capable of fighting is to back them up and give support if we are boarded!"

With multiple shouts of affirmative, Zuko was already imagining different scenarios. One included shooting them down and fishing his desired target out of the water, while another was possibly having a close encounter if they dared to land on the deck. To his mind, no matter what he had to do in order to succeed, it was to result in his return to his homeland with honor.

With anticipation growing as the distance between both groups grew smaller and smaller, Zuko paid no mind to the glacier they were approaching; not that it mattered in his view. They were going to pass it by the time they were within striking range, anyway.

Just as they were about to drift right next to the enormous block of ice easily ten times the size of his ship, Zuko saw a figure stand on the bison's head. While it took a second to see exactly who because of the distance, it was a mere few moments later that he recognized the facemask now adorning the lower half of the person's face.

"You…" Zuko uttered through clenched teeth.

The only difference from last time was that the hood was now down and he could make out the spiky blonde hair waving around wildly in the wind.

"I don't think I've seen anyone with that hair color before." Iroh commented. "It will be an easy way to track him down if they escape."

"And a bald kid with an arrow on his head riding on a giant bison won't?" A random firebender's voice echoed with genuine interest from his helmet.

Iroh seemed to slightly blush in embarrassment while sheepishly letting out a grandfatherly chuckle. "I suppose it will, won't it?"

"They won't escape unless you all continue to lose focus!" Zuko yelled.

That got the desired result as they continued to watch the approaching group.

"Although I do wonder what he's doing?" Iroh commented while stroking his beard.

From what they can all see, he was just standing on the beast's head with no problems with balance, watching them with a calm façade.

However, what happened next, none of them could've ever predicted.

In one instant, he was a simple yet unknowingly powerful man, and in the next, his body was surrounded in a bright yellow aura that captivated them all.

"What is that?!" A random grunt shouted.

* * *

"Whoa…" Katara, Sokka, and Aang muttered at the same time as they watched their blonde friend erupt in an explosion of power and grace.

All around the shinobi was a shroud of yellow that seemed to be full of life. While keeping the same shape of his clothing, there was now thick, black lines along his torso and limbs. A noticeable black dot in the middle an incomplete black circle on his mid-section was connected to all of the black lines. There was a thick line running down each leg onto his boots that proceed to wrap around the underside while two other black lines also wrapped around his back. Around his collar was another line with six magatama under it. The facemask's Kurama-inspired teeth were now also black giving Naruto an even more intimidating appearance with the rest of the mask only being dark along the edges. While hidden, Naruto's whisker marks were greatly thicker and more defined as well. This was under the eyes that were glowing with the power of sage chakra with crossed pupils.

Naruto looked at his hands, arms, and overall body. "Heh…still got it." He said.

"So pretty…" Katara commented.

"Uh, what is that again?" Aang quietly asked.

Naruto looked back at the others making them slightly jump. "A combination of my tailed beast and sage mode." He replied ironically giddy considering the mask.

"And what are you going to do with that?" Katara asked.

"Well, just to show off a bit and see if it changed at all throughout the years. While this is one of the strongest parts of my arsenal, I'm not going to destroy them or anything, just have a little fun." He answered cheekily.

"Okay?" They all said while dumbly nodding.

Naruto turned back to ship and focused in on the glacier. "Let's give them something to talk about." Naruto said to himself.

* * *

Even with a small amount of fear now stirring within Zuko, he shouted, "This doesn't change anything! Whatever that is, we'll just have to beat it!"

"Easy for you to say…" A firebender muttered.

A few moments later the bison was just about to get in range of their attack.

"Now!" Zuko shouted while getting in a crouched stance which was copied by his uncle along with the other benders, "Prepare to shoot them down!"

As Zuko made the first step and gathered the energy to begin the process of launching a fireball in this big cooperation technique, he was stopped cold when two _massive _glowing arms stretched from Naruto's own. They elongated closer and closer to the ship and got everyone to hesitate in their actions enough to lose their footing.

They could only look on in fear as one of the hands reared itself back to strike down on them.

"Shit…" One grunt summed up for everyone.

However, to their confusion, the hand swung and completely bypassed them. They were about to sigh in relief, but were swiftly scared once more when the limb smacked into the glacier they were now next to with a very loud bang.

Snow and big chunks of ice were now raining down onto the ship which sent everyone to run in a frenzy, even the two members of the royal family.

After the episode of panic and rapid sounds of metal being impacted, Zuko, Iroh, and others that were able to escape the worst of it all walked to where the snow and ice mainly hit.

As they were about to survey the damage they all heard a loud shout in the air above them. As they all looked up they saw the bison just pass overhead with those large arms of energy still hanging in the air.

They were then put on edge when both hands faced them in closed fists, somewhat looking like they were put up to enter a fist fight. However, to their disbelief, the only thing that the fists did was raise each respective middle finger before the hands moved up and down repeatedly in a mocking gesture.

They could barely hear what sounded like laughter from the arm's owner as they disappeared into the distance.

Zuko's eyes grew bloodshot in anger as he ordered, "After them!"

With no response he turned around angrily. "I said-" He was stopped in his tracks as he saw that nearly the entire front of the deck was covered with an enormous amount of snow, of which there was a few arms, legs, and even heads sticking out of their white prison accompanied by muffled groans of pain.

Seeing a lot of his crew down momentarily and his ship now stuck, he could only yell in frustration with steam shooting out his flared nostrils.

* * *

"Hahahaha, that was great!" Naruto shouted while dispelling the chakra cloak and sitting down back in the saddle.

"I would give anything to have seen their faces!" Sokka laughed while holding his aching side.

"That was a little bit excessive, don't you think?" Katara asked, but still had a small smile breaking out.

Naruto waved her off. "It could've been a lot worse and I doubt any of them got seriously hurt, give or take a few. Any objections oh peaceful monk?" He asked Aang.

Aang thought about it for a moment. "Not really, but the fingers were a little much."

"Whatever, you'll learn to love it as time passes." Naruto dismissed while letting out the occasional laugh that he was still trying to control.

* * *

A couple of days have now passed since the group's departure and after a few stops at small islands to rest and eat, they were now smoothly flying to Aang's home known as the Southern Air Temple.

"Wait till you see it, you guys! The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!" Aang happily exclaimed from his spot holding Appa's reigns.

Katara seemed to grow a light concerned look. "Aang, before we get there, we need to talk about the airbenders."

"What about?" Aang replied.

Katara's face seemed to grow a little more uncomfortable. "Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless; you know what they did to my mother and they could've done the same to your people." Katara said sending Aang a sad look.

Apparently the words didn't hit home. "Just because no one has seen an airbender for a long time, doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped."

'_Denial is only going to make it worse.' _Naruto thought from the side while relaxing next to Sokka who was playing with his boomerang.

"You don't understand, Katara. The only way to make it to an airbender temple is by flying bison, and I doubt that the Fire Nation has any flying bison, right Appa?" He asked his friend who groaned in response.

'_Gonna have to face it the hard way, isn't he?' _Naruto mentally asked himself while letting out a small sigh.

The hours passed by, along with the various clouds and small islands. With the time that has gone by, it was a huge relief to see the various mountains approach in the distance.

"The Patola Mountain Range! We're almost there!" Aang yelled practically jumping in his seat.

The mountains were vast and spread out as far as you can see. Structures of rock and forest were randomly spread out through the beautiful landscape.

Eventually, one mountain with a significant difference came within their line of sight.

With an ear-splitting grin, Aang turned towards his friends and got their attention.

"There it is! The Southern Air Temple!" He said.

The others looked on and their faces morphed into ones of awe. They were justified as the magnificent destination of theirs became clear. Situated on a great mountain peak was a series of visible pathways surrounding the many buildings that made up the ancient air temple. Its sight just gave off an aura of rich history and culture that any history buff would jump at the chance to observe closely.

"It's beautiful!" Katara said with Naruto and Sokka nodding in agreement.

Aang now had a nostalgic smile on his face as he patted Appa's head affectionately.

"We're home, buddy…we're home."

* * *

**Chapter End**

**AN: Guess whose back!?**

**I really want to apologize to you guys for not really even starting on a new chapter for a while. I was really busy with college assignments, exams, and other stuff; not to mention writers block rearing its ugly head in. I'm sure some of you understand. Still, it's not much of an excuse, and for that, I'm sorry.**

**But in other news…holy shit! Over 1000 favs and follows?! People actually like this?! THANK YOU! I never would've thought that my first story would reach that far. This is usually the territory for the big authors out there with genius level creativity. While I don't find myself worthy, I still thank you all again for whatever support you've all shown.**

**Now I also realized while I was reading some early reviews that I didn't reply back to a lot of people…and now I feel like a bit of a jerk…so from here on out, I'll try to answer a majority of reviews if I can make a proper response.**

**I also broke my previous word count with this 16,000 word chapter! WOO! **

**Hopefully I improved with my writing compared to the earlier chapters and that this will satisfy your thirst for content for now. I never know when I can work or update, so just be prepared for whatever time it takes to get something out, even a progress report. But hey, at least I'm not dead, right? RIGHT?!**

**Thank you all again for reading! If you can take the time, please leave a review of your thoughts. I really enjoy hearing from you all and anything that can help me will be appreciated!**

**Have a nice day you beautiful men and women and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!**

**Later!**


	8. Quiet Winds

**AN: Yo guys! I'm back with another installment of this growing story! I'll talk later, so read on!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

"Hurry up, guys! I'll give you the grand tour!" The very excited Avatar yelled out to his friends.

The group had just touched down on an open area next to a cliff right at the base of the main trail that extended through the middle of the ancient temple. They could've gone to a more convenient landing zone, but Aang wanted to start showing them around from the very beginning.

"It's been a hundred years already, Aang! This place isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so calm down!" Sokka said irritably as he made his way off of their bison transport.

"What's got you so cranky?" Katara asked as she looked up at him from her position next to Naruto.

When Sokka made the short leap off the side of Appa, he looked back at her blankly and pointed accusingly at the shinobi.

"Your boyfriend right there destroyed the blubbered seal jerky with his stupid ball of death and left me starving all morning!" He yelled with annoyance.

Ignoring the boyfriend comment, Katara glanced to the blonde with a raised eyebrow.

"You wasted all of it?" She calmly asked.

Naruto merely smiled back innocently and lazily put his hands behind his head.

"Have you ever shredded stuff before? It's awesome!" He exclaimed cheerfully before looking a bit sheepish. "But I guess I got a little carried away. Sorry Sokka." He said looking at the young warrior.

Sokka's only response was an emotionless expression followed by a growling stomach.

"Okay, okay, tell your gut to stop complaining. I got a nice supply in my storage seal." Naruto said reaching with his right hand to his left arm to activate the small, invisible seal.

Sokka's eyes lit up and his mouth started to salivate at the thought of his destined meal.

To Katara and Sokka's confusion, Naruto stopped his hand right before he was about to apply chakra to his arm and gained a playful glint in his eye.

"You know what?" Naruto started as he looked back to Sokka and stopped the jerky removal process, "Let's make this a small survival lesson to see how you can handle not having food in unfamiliar terrain and test your scavenging skills." He finished cheekily.

Sokka's world seemed to crack and crumble around him as he fell to his knees with bright and glistening eyes. The sight only made Katara giggle and Naruto chuckle.

"B-but…" Sokka barely stammered out with a wounded spirit, "That's not fair…" He finished while fighting a quivering lip.

Naruto wasn't stirred. "I never said life was fair, and you're the one that wants to be an awesome warrior, so I'm helping you with that."

Sokka still remained in his position frozen from Naruto's actions, but quickly gained a triumphant look in his eyes. "Wait, there could something else in Appa's saddle!" He excitedly yelled in victory before turning back around and desperately started to climb up Appa's tail, stumbling somewhat as he ascended.

Naruto only let him get up halfway before saying, "The jerky was the only thing I unsealed after breakfast as a snack for the road!"

Sokka froze mid-step and depressingly accepted his fate as he let himself fall on the bison's tail face first before slowly sliding back down to the ground, all while letting out a disappointed groan that was muffled by the vast amount of fur.

An amused Naruto and Katara only laughed before their bald friend's voice rang out from atop the trail on the nearby hill.

"Are you guys coming or not!" Aang shouted while waving his arms in the arms to get their attention further.

Naruto looked to Katara and nudged his head in the airbender's direction as he started to walk with the waterbender now following close behind.

"Come on, Sokka! You're not going to make the old fart wait, are you? He's already a hundred and fourteen years old, he isn't getting any younger!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder.

Sokka only grumbled some more before reluctantly getting up and following his sister and the evil gatekeeper of his precious jerky at a sorrowfully even stride.

* * *

As they trekked on down the main path, Aang continuously pointed out any and everything with even the slightest bit of significance within his memory. He would even detail some adventures he and his fellow airbenders were a part of such as pranking their elders, experimenting with their bending, and much more.

It was after nearly an hour of walking that the group was now looking down at an open area with strange wooden posts set up and large holes carved into one of the many rock faces on the mountain.

"That's where my friends and I used to play airball!" Aang said as he gestured to the various wooden posts before looking to the roomy holes in the rocks, "And over there would be where the bison would sleep…and…" He trailed off quietly and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked behind him.

"This place used to be filled with monks, lemur, and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds." Aang said sadly.

Naruto couldn't help but feel a little down as well. He could imagine how lively this place used to be with what he would assume rich vegetation, joyous people and animals coexisting together, and the overall peaceful atmosphere. Now, just like Aang said, the place was just a bunch of weeds. The surrounding area practically exuded nothingness and Naruto was afraid how much Aang will be affected as they continued on.

Feeling the tension, Sokka came up to Aang. "So, this airball game, how do you play?"

Aang immediately broke out of his sad gaze and grew a cheeky grin.

Sokka couldn't help but feel that this wouldn't turn out so well for him…

* * *

Sokka was right…

He and Aang now stood on opposing sides of the airball field on their own designated post. Sokka was looking to be ready for anything while Aang was all happy-go-lucky as he revealed the uniquely cut and hollow wooden ball before he launched it with a gust of air.

The ball sped forward at an impressive speed that could only be followed by a trained eye. It then made its first contact with a nearby post before bouncing off and launching into another. For a couple of seconds this continued and the closer the ball progressed towards Sokka, the more dread he felt in his being.

When the ball finally banked off the last post, it launched into Sokka's midsection and made him fly back through the goal post and made the goal ring spin and slightly squeak from its old stature.

With a painful grunt, Sokka landed into the snow below while Aang yelled in victory.

"Yeah! Aang, seven, Sokka, zero!" He cheered.

"Good game, Sokka!" Naruto yelled from the side. "You've done your tribe proud by humbling yourself and raising your pain tolerance!"

Katara only raised her hand to her mouth to try and stop a laugh from escaping, but easily failed.

Sokka raised his head up from his prone position letting a few globs of snow to fall off his head. "Yeah, yeah. I'm just getting stronger by getting hurt while making Aang feel better…right…" He muttered out sarcastically. Before he could get up from his position on the ground, he looked at a shocking site in front of him. Right in his face was a couple of skeletal remains adorning old and damaged Fire Nation armor.

"Naruto, katara, check this out." He quietly called out to them.

The duo walked up with the waterbender slightly grimacing and simply stating, "Fire Nation."

"Guess we can't avoid this, can we?" Naruto said before turning to the now approaching airbender as he continued to play with the airball. "Hey, Aang! It's time for you to see something!"

With complete ignorance, Aang continued his approach. "Yeah? What?"

With the young Avatar about to reach their position, Katara internally panicked and made a split-second decision of bending some snow over Sokka and the deceased, much to her brother's protest.

With a now confused Naruto and calm Katara, Aang finally made it to them. "So, what did you want to show me?" He asked.

Since she didn't think this far ahead, Katara decided to pass the spotlight to the blonde.

"Uh…Naruto wanted to show you something awesome." She said getting more nervous from Naruto's surprised look.

"Really? What?!" Aang asked excitedly while looking to the shinobi.

'_What the hell, Katara?!' _Naruto thought while rapidly trying to think of something.

"Well…um…" Naruto stammered out before his eyes showed he decided on something, "Alright, here we go…"

Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto's body erupted in a puff of smoke causing Katara and Aang to lose sight of him. It took a few moments for the smoke to subside, but once it did, Aang was looking at a complete copy of himself.

"Tada!" 'Aang' yelled in fake enthusiasm.

"Whoa." Aang said as he walked around his double. Every detail of his body was spot on.

"Cool, right?" The transformed Naruto said before quickly dispelling the Henge and looking at Aang. "How about we continue the tour, huh?"

Snapping out of his stupor Aang nodded quickly and started walking ahead of the others.

When Aang was out of earshot, Sokka's head popped up from the snow and looked at Katara with a small glare. "What was that about?" He asked.

"Yeah, Katara, I thought we would get this whole depressing revelation out of the way. Why did you hide this from him?" Naruto added.

Katara seemed to think to herself before walking after the airbender. "I guess I'm just trying to help him keep his peace for as long as possible."

"You can't protect him forever." Sokka responded as he was helped to his feet by Naruto, the latter nodding in agreement.

"I'll try for his sake." She said as she kept on walking.

"He's going to find out sooner or later." Naruto quietly said to himself before walking as well with Sokka close behind.

Katara still managed to hear him. "I know." She said.

It was quiet for a moment until Naruto spoke up again. "A little heads up would've been nice earlier. I could've done something way more entertaining besides a simple transformation. I'm good on thinking on my feet, but I was preparing for the whole 'genocide of an entire culture' thing." Naruto stated as they were all walking side by side.

"Simple?" Sokka said, "People would kill to be able to do that. You're like the ultimate spy!"

Naruto shrugged it off. "It becomes less glamorous after a while."

With the siblings shaking their heads, they continued down the path to catch up to the, for now, happy airbender.

* * *

The rest of the walk became more and more interesting as they passed by the main buildings that made up the temple. The group saw training and meditation areas, fountains, and what they could assume to be buildings where all of the airbenders slept. However, just like everything else on the mountain, it was a depressing sight. Everything was grey, dried out, and dead. The only sounds that reached their ears were the nonstop explanations Aang spoke.

The Water Tribe natives plus Naruto only showed some piqued interest every now and then, but otherwise wore expressions of neutrality as they kept reminding themselves of the horrible acts that were done one hundred years prior. Sadly, that seemed to be the farthest thing from Aang's mind.

"Hey guys, I want you to meet somebody!" Aang said happily as they approached an old statue depicting one of the many monks that used to walk among the grounds they were on.

"Who's that?" Sokka asked.

"Monk Gyatso, the greatest airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang responded while bowing to his old master and gaining a very fond smile.

The trio next to him watched as he suddenly seemed to stare into space and wore a blank look.

It was a few awkward moments before Katara came up to him with her hand on his shoulder. "You must really miss him."

"Yeah…" Aang uttered before walking passed the statue and continuing into the halls of the main part of the temple. "Come on guys, the Air Temple Sanctuary is up ahead. There's somebody I'm ready to meet." Without giving the three a chance to respond, he walked away.

The rest of the group looked at each other in confusion before shrugging and following. They passed by many closed doors in the long, abandoned halls and stayed relatively silent.

Eventually, they reached one _massive _door with strange devices on it at the end of one hall where Aang was waiting.

"I'm assuming that's the door to the sanctuary?" Naruto asked as he studied the contraptions on the wooden door.

"Yup." Aang simply responded.

"Well, you got a key?" Sokka asked.

Giving his friends a smile he said, "The key, Sokka, is airbending."

Ignoring the confused looks in his friend's faces, he stepped back near them, took in a deep breath, and proceeded to shoot out a stream of air out of each palm into two tubes on the right and left side of the door. The air then traveled through their designated paths in the hollow wood which caused several disconnected parts of the path to spin and connect, causing a uniquely toned whistle to ring out. One by one, blue air symbols spun around revealing their maroon sides. When all symbols turned there was an audible click followed by the door creakily opening.

From their point of view, the group could only see complete darkness in what they could guess would be a large room.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Aang's voice echoed as he entered the chamber

"Who's supposed to be here?" Naruto muttered to himself as he entered with Katara and Sokka.

* * *

Zuko has been having a very bad day…

First, with the damages done by that blonde bastard, they had to dock at a Fire Nation naval yard for repairs. This was an annoyance to the prince since every second wasted here was precious time where he could've been looking for his primary target.

Next, he and his uncle had to make up a story for the damages so the recently promoted Commander Zhao wouldn't get suspicious and find out what really happened. If word was to get out that the Avatar was still alive and that the mysterious man they all knew as the 'Purple-eyed Demon' or just simply 'Demon' was by his side, then anyone with any sort of fighting skills at all with loyalty to the Fire Nation would try to make chase as well. Of course Zuko couldn't have that happen, he spent too much time already searching even for the tiniest hint of the Avatar's location. Now with victory in his sights, he couldn't afford any competition.

Finally, and unfortunately, after narrowly avoiding any reveal of the trip he just endured, his crew just had to go and open their big mouths and ruin everything! It wasn't surprising, considering that the crew probably felt they got the short end of the stick being assigned to the banished member of the Royal Family for his voyage of no possible success. Zuko never really cared about their loyalty, as long as they listened to his orders, but now the only time he wanted their absolute devotion and silence was met with disappointment.

As a result, he had to reveal everything. Giving up this precious information felt like poison as every single word left his mouth. The entire time he couldn't even look the commander in the eye and just kept his head down in defeat while clenching the chair he was stuck sitting in with his hands. Once he was done explaining, Zhao was standing and facing the dishonored prince with an impassive face.

"So you're telling me that a fourteen-year-old boy is the Avatar and has the man that attacked the Southern Raiders as his companion?" The brown-haired man with impressive sideburns asked.

Zuko grimly nodded.

"And you in all of your genius thought that taking them both on would prove successful? How stupid are you?" Zhao continued.

Zuko snarled slightly but replied. "I underestimated them. It won't happen again."

"Oh, it definitely won't happen again, because you won't have a second chance." Zhao said.

Looking alarmed, Zuko faced Zhao in protest. "Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I-"

"And you failed!" Zhao harshly interrupted as he shot some fire in an arc above their heads. After calming down a bit, he talked again. "Obviously, capturing the Avatar and dealing with the so-called 'Demon' is too much for a mere teenager to handle. They're mine now."

Zuko's only response was to shoot out of his chair and charge at Zhao only to be held back by the guards at the entrance of the tent.

"Keep them here and don't let them out of your sight." Zhao ordered as he exited without looking back.

When the esteemed commander left, Zuko violently gave a fire enhanced kick to the table they had been using and smashed it into pieces.

Watching this calmly in the background was his uncle Iroh with his now finished and favorite ginseng tea. "More tea please?" He humbly asked one of the guards.

* * *

When the four friends entered the vast and dark chamber, it took them all a few seconds for their eyes to adjust to the lighting, but once they could see clearly they saw an array of statues that were perfectly organized all around them. They were set in a swirl pattern that continued on into the shadows and proceeded to travel up the seemingly endless amount of stories above them along the walls. Each statue was of a person, both male and female, with various physiques and clothing.

They walked passed a few rows of these unknown people and just stood to observe.

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked inspecting the statue next to her.

"I don't know, but I feel like I know them somehow." He said before he focused on the statue in front of him. "Look! There's an airbender!" Aang said pointing to the sculpture of an aged monk with the expected arrow tattoo on his bald head.

"And this one's a waterbender!" Katara exclaimed while gesturing to the man with a wolf-like headdress. "They're lined up in a pattern; air, water, earth, then fire." She finished.

"That's the Avatar cycle." Aang added in.

"Of course, these are all Avatars. These are all your past lives, Aang." Katara responded.

With a very fascinated look on his face, Aang walked up to a statue of an old man that looked to be native to the Fire Nation. He suddenly stood completely still as his eyes became captivated by the man and seemed to be in a trance until Katara shook him out of it.

"Who is that, Aang?" She asked.

The airbender answered instantly. "That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me."

"How did you know that? There isn't a nameplate or anything." Naruto said.

"I don't know…I just…know it somehow." Aang responded.

"Some Avatar voodoo-type stuff?" Naruto asked.

Aang lightly chuckled. "I guess it's something like that. I feel some sort of pull towards everyone here."

Naruto only whistled in an impressed manner as he looked up to the distant and shadowed ceiling.

"Man, just from what we can see, there's thousands upon thousands of years that all of these people have lived. Damn, the Avatar is a bigger deal than I thought." Naruto said quietly.

For a moment it was just quiet until a low growling was echoed throughout the room that put Naruto, Katara, and Aang on alert.

"The hell was that?" Naruto whispered.

The sound got increasingly louder until they were able to trace it to their left. In complete sync, they turned their heads to Sokka's grumpy expression as he held a hand over his stomach.

"It's only been a couple of hours and I'm already considering cannibalism, Naruto…" Sokka said emotionlessly to the blonde shinobi.

The trio looked back at him with blank faces before Naruto, with the same tone as Sokka, said, "I'm glad all those years of training really developed you as an unstoppable warrior, Sokka…"

Before anyone could comment further, they heard something move behind them. Turning around they caught the sight of a looming shadow and quickly hid behind the nearest statues. Sokka and Aang were behind one while Naruto and Katara were behind another.

Sokka, with club in hand looked to the others. "Could be a firebender." He whispered.

No one replied as Naruto heightened his senses out to get a feel for what they were dealing with and once he did, he instantly relaxed. With a roll of his eyes he stood up from his crouched stance and calmly walked from behind his cover.

The others looked to him a little confused and a bit anxious, but followed his lead quickly after.

With everyone out of their hiding spots they saw the unknown intruder at the entrance of the sanctuary. To their surprise, curiously standing there was a small white and brown winged lemur with its round green eyes looking at them in great interest. With a small coo, a tilting of its head, and a wave of its brown tail with two white stripes, it caused Aang's eyes lit up with immense excitement.

"Lemur!" He called out joyfully.

Indeed it was a lemur, one of the fascinating creatures that used to inhabit these ancient grounds. However, to the wolf-tailed warrior of the group, the furry creature was his next meal…

"Dinner…" Sokka said with a desperate look on his face as drool started to escape the corners of his mouth.

"Amazing willpower…" Naruto muttered sarcastically.

"Don't listen to Sokka, you're going to be my new pet." Aang said.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka proclaimed as he ran forward with a war cry and dove for the creature.

Getting on all fours, bristling its fur, and hissing at his attacker, the lemur quickly ran back with a small echoed shout of fear and escaped down the hall.

"Wait, come back!" Aang shouted while also making chase.

"I want to eat you!" Sokka yelled trying to keep up with the airbender.

"Should we go after them?" Katara asked as she stood next to an amused Naruto.

"I guess I'll track them down so nothing happens. I doubt anything bad will come out of it, but I'm pretty sure that animal is endangered and has a chance of becoming extinct if your carnivore of a brother gets his claws on it." Naruto casually said he started to walk off with his hands behind his head.

"Well aren't you a regular forest ranger." Katara replied teasingly.

Without looking back or stopping his pace, he pumped his right fist into the air and jokingly yelled, "For nature!"

Katara giggled a bit before responding. "Alright then, I'll see you in a little while. I want to look around a bit more."

"Have fun." The blonde said with a small salute before marching on.

* * *

Who knew his day would come to this?

All he wanted to do was to get in, get out with his repairs, and continue on his journey. Sadly, as he looked across at the esteemed commander's cocky glare he knew that any hopes of his desired plans were now quenched.

Just a few hours prior Zhao had come back to the tent relaying that he and his uncle were to be held until the commander was out at sea with his own warship and crew. Words, filled with both contempt and challenge, were exchanged between the prince and the highly ranked soldier of their country's naval forces. Tensions constantly arose and even to the point that Zhao had brought up Zuko's sore spot…his father, the Fire Lord.

It comes to no surprise that Zuko would snap at the mere mention of that man, especially at being reminded about his complete unwanted presence back home. That's why he finally relented to his anger and practically ordered his superior to an Agni Kai, a firebender duel, at sunset.

He damn well knew what he was getting into. This was an instance he knew all too well and subconsciously grazed his facial scar while continuing to stare back at his opponent.

"I expect this to be quick, so let's get this over with." Zhao said with disinterest as he stood wearing nothing but loose, dark pants and thin arm bands next to his recently discarded ceremonial shoulder garment on the ground.

Zuko, with similar attire and discarded garment, held a focused glare and said, "Think what you want, but I will not let you win."

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." Iroh sounded from behind his nephew.

For a moment all the two fighters did was stare. They, along with what few spectators were witnessing this event, felt the air become stressed and were ready to act at a moment's notice.

Suddenly the loud ringing of a gong sounded out and Zuko rushed into action.

He sent a small stream of flame out from his extended fist depicting a punch. The attack made its way to Zhao and easily missed as the commander sidestepped the blaze before it extinguished behind him. With a quick breath of frustration Zuko shot another, but his attempts bore the same results.

Fire after fire, Zhao dodged all with ease and even had a small smirk. As the onslaught continued, Zhao decided to challenge himself a little and took Zuko's flames head-on by knocking them away and even shooting his own torching stream into Zuko's creating a roaring shroud of orange and red around his unharmed body.

With a smug grin of victory Zhao went on the offensive.

Breathing deeply the elder firebender shot a greater ball of fire than what was previously shown and made their way to the young prince.

After commencing his earlier attacks, Zuko was a little winded at this point, so all he could do was take the flames head on and block them as best he could.

The first attack shot at him only knocked him back a few feet, the second producing the same results, as did the third. It was on the fourth shot from Zhao that made Zuko lower his guard enough to let the deadly flames knock him skidding back on the unforgiving dirt.

With a groan of pain Zuko tried to sit back up, but his eyes widened in alarm as he saw a now airborne Zhao before he landed harshly in front of him. Without hesitation Zhao punched his fist out letting a flame form with the intention of burning Zuko and ending this fight.

Zuko stared at the sparking fire in a daze before getting a hold of himself and proceeded to quickly spin his body and sweep his legs right into Zhao's who now had a surprised look on his face before falling back onto the ground in Zuko's previous position.

Now standing and having dodged Zhao's attack, Zuko gained his own smirk as he gained the upper hand.

Zhao realized this and got up quickly, but couldn't get into a proper position to fight back as Zuko capitalized on his vulnerability. The prince advanced towards his opponent and let out waves of fire from his feet as he slid them on the ground. With each step, Zuko let out more fire which kept Zhao off balance as he retreated back defenseless.

Deciding to end this quickly, Zuko got up close and sent consecutive kicks of fire that Zhao tried to dodge or block, but eventually was knocked back by one last kick that sent the commander rolling backwards on the ground.

Now dazed, Zhao could only look up to see Zuko looking down at him with his fist out in preparation for a final executed attack.

"Do it!" Zhao demanded.

Zuko continued to look down at his defeated adversary in contemplation before he shot his fist forward and let a lethal blast of fire hit the ground right beside the head of Zhao.

Realizing what the prince had done, Zhao said, "That's it? Your father raised a coward."

Zuko seemed to dismiss him as he backed off and started to walk towards his uncle. "I promise the next time you get in my way, I won't hold back." He said.

As Zuko walked, Zhao gained an angry snarl on his face before he got up and launched himself at the young firebender intending to land a devastating blow with a kick full of fire.

As his attack was about to make contact, Zhao found himself held back and his fire now gone. He looked up to see Iroh with a firm grip on his bare foot before he was surprisingly launched back with a simple flick of a wrist.

Realizing the cheap shot he was about to be hit with, Zuko growled in anger and tried to attack Zhao again, but was held back by his uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko! Do not taint your victory." Iroh said before looking down at Zhao. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you."

Zuko looked at his uncle in slight surprise before he spoke again.

"Thank you again for the tea. It was delicious." Iroh said before moving to walk out of the large and empty arena.

Zuko quickly matched his pace and whispered, "Did you really mean that, Uncle?"

Iroh merely gained a small and sly smile. "Of course, like I told you earlier, ginseng tea is my favorite."

Zuko only blankly looked at his uncle before they continued on to their temporary quarters to wait for their ship to be repaired.

* * *

Aang had been chasing that lemur around for the better part of an hour and was evaded more times than he'd like to admit. Constant attempts at pouncing on the small creature were all met with failure and sometimes he just couldn't track it down.

Now here he was at the base of one of the many stone staircases and managed to get lucky enough to see the lemur running passed an old torn tarp acting as an entrance for an almost completely destroyed and decayed building.

"Come on out, little guy. That hungry man won't bother you anymore." Aang said as he pushed the tarp out of the way and entered the building. What he saw on the inside, though, would forever be implanted in his memory.

"Firebenders? They were here?" He muttered to himself as he scanned the wide open area that was filled with numerous skeletons all wearing old and damaged red armor.

That was nothing compared to what was at the end of the trail of the dead Fire Nation soldiers.

At the end of the grotto was a skeleton that was buried from the waist down in snow. What made this skeleton stand out, however, was the traditional Air Nomad robes. Upon closer inspection, around the deceased person's neck was a certain special necklace that Aang could never mistake.

With shimmering eyes and the feeling of shock welling up inside him, Aang uttered, "Gyatso…" He fell to his knees covering his rapidly watering eyes with his hands and started letting out a few despaired sobs.

Behind him the curtain was pulled aside revealing Sokka. "Aang, you here?" He said before looking down to see his friend crying. "Aang, I wasn't really going to eat the-" He stopped and did a double take as he saw Gyatso's remains.

"Oh man…" Sokka muttered before walking up to the airbender and placing a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "Come on, Aang, everything will be all right. Let's get out of here."

Instead of a response, Aang's tattoos started to glow a familiar and spiritual blue…

* * *

Katara was still looking the statues over with curiosity when the eyes of Avatar Roku started to glow blue. In her mild moment of surprise she noticed that the same was happening to all of the past Avatars and saw that the humming radiance of cerulean spread out in a fast progression up into the ceiling.

"Aang!" She yelled before running towards the exit to find out what was wrong with her friend.

* * *

The Southern Air Temple wasn't the only place in the world that was experiencing this phenomenon. Spiritual temples located in the Earth Kingdom, Northern Water Tribe, and Fire Nation were reacting to Aang's power as they too glowed with spiritual energy.

In the Fire Nation, one of the distraught sages found another to give his message. "Send word to the Fire Lord immediately. The Avatar…has returned!" He proclaimed in fright as the other reacted in kind.

* * *

Naruto was still calmly walking around looking for his excited companions. He wasn't in any rush, though. While he usually wanted to get things done fast as was his nature, he just felt like taking it easy for a bit. He was sure no harm would come to the lemur, otherwise Aang would just blast Sokka away with concentrated wind. He knew Sokka wouldn't want that and would be smart enough to avoid it despite his carnivorous state…hopefully.

Whistling a slow tune to himself and playing with some pebbles floating above his palm, Naruto continued to look around the once prosperous community. Every now and then he would find some skeleton of an air or firebender and sent a clone to gather them for a proper burial or perhaps even cremation, depending on what Aang deemed proper for later.

While he seemed calmed and collected, Naruto couldn't stop himself from feeling sad every time he found more remnants of those that lived here. At this point he already lost count of how many he had already discovered and collected and was thankful that Aang stuck to the somehow relatively clean main path and didn't venture into the many broken down buildings.

Sure he was used to sights like this, but his heart always went out to those that didn't deserve it and could've done so much more with their lives. He felt his chest ache even more so every time he found remains that looked too small to belong to adults…

Children…children that still had their whole lives ahead of them…so many things they could've done…places they could've visited…people they could've met…families they could've started…

'_Maybe I popped in at the wrong time?' _He thought to himself before shaking his head. There was nothing he could do now and he just had to put in the effort to make sure tragedies such as this didn't happen again. The only bright side was that there thankfully wasn't a nursery here because Aang mentioned that this specific temple was exclusively for male Air Nomads. Finding all of these bodies was depressing enough, and he just didn't want to make it worse by having to put the _especially _young to rest.

Still, this was only one temple…he could only imagine the number of those massacred at the others…

At this thought he stomped a Fire Nation soldier's head into dust. "Fuckers were lucky I wasn't here…" He whispered in anger before making another clone to gather the rest of the bastard and carried him off to an empty courtyard he found earlier that was designated for the firebenders.

Naruto had long since stopped whistling and let the small pebbles fall to the ground before he let out a sigh and continued on.

He only took a few more steps before he saw an explosion in the distance. He couldn't really make out what was going on, but he focused a bit more and could see that the wind around the area was sporadic and growing in power.

"Aang? Shit!" He exclaimed before taking off as fast as he could by hopping to the roof of an old building.

* * *

Sokka had no idea what was going on…

One second he was trying to comfort Aang, saw his tattoos glow, and the next thing he knew he was hit by a huge gust of wind and flew back into a broken wall.

"That must be how it feels to be tackled by Appa…" Sokka groaned out as he sat back up from his grounded position and peered over some rubble.

What he saw was a magically floating Aang with his back tuned to him in a giant ball of rotating air. His tattoos were still shining with immense power and Sokka couldn't help but have a chill run down his spine by being in Aang's presence.

'_What am I supposed to do?! Where's Naruto when you need him?!' _He thought in a panic. As seconds ticked by he thought he might as well try communicating.

"Aang, calm down! You got to snap out of it!" He frantically yelled.

He received no response.

"What happened?!" He heard behind him.

Sokka turned his head and saw his little sister make her way next to him behind his current cover.

"He just found out firebenders killed Gyatso and went nuts!" He shouted back over the loud whistling of the wind.

Katara looked at Aang and observed the same blue glow from when she first met the young airbender and from just a few moments ago in the sanctuary.

"It's his Avatar spirit! He must've triggered it!" She yelled.

"Is that what's going on?!" Both siblings turned to the new voice behind them.

"Oh, hey Naruto! Glad you can make it! Do you mind making sure baldy over there doesn't kill us?!" Sokka exclaimed to the newly arrived shinobi who was staring intently at Aang.

"What do you expect me to do?! I'm not an expert on this crap!" Naruto responded.

"I thought you took him out of the village back at the South Pole that one night so you could be ready if he went out of control!" Sokka shot back.

"Doesn't mean I had a plan! The most I could come up with at the time was to knock him out!"

"Then do that! You need to- where's Katara?!" The warrior shouted while rapidly searching around him in a panic.

Naruto looked around as well until his eyes landed on the Water Tribe girl who was slowly making her way towards the out of control Avatar.

"Crap! Katara, get back here right now! It might be too dangerous!" Sokka yelled when he spotted her as well.

She didn't give back any acknowledgment to her brother's words.

"I guess we're going in too!" Naruto shouted to Sokka as he started to head towards Katara.

"What?! But isn't it- ah forget it!" Sokka shouted when he saw Naruto keep on walking and followed his lead.

The two males made it closer to Katara's position behind a partially knocked down wall and started to hear her trying to calm Aang down.

"Aang, I know that you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I felt the same when I thought I lost my mom. It didn't last long, but I remember feeling completely helpless and thought everything was ruined and couldn't be fixed. It was like my heart was ripped out! You don't have to go through that alone because you still have a family! Naruto, Sokka, and I, we're your family now!"

"Listen to her, Arrowhead!" Naruto yelled out as he and Sokka finally made it next to her. "We all have to face loss sometimes, and, while not on this scale, everyone goes through it! You- ack!" Naruto sounded out as he gripped his stomach which felt like it was about to be ripped out right from his body.

'_What the hell?!' _The blonde frantically thought. He just tried to fight the pain for now and keep trying to help Aang, but before he could, he idly noted nearly unnoticeable streams of blue energy shoot into his seal he's had his entire life.

Ignoring the new disturbance momentarily, he continued talking.

"Y-you just have to stay strong and move on! You have to at least try, if not for you then for those that you loved! They wouldn't want to see you like this and you know damn well that I know what you're going through because I had to face the same thing!" Naruto screamed out as he felt the strain on his abdomen worsen.

That seemed to finally reach the desired effect as Aang started to float back down, his eyes and tattoos still glowing, while the crazy winds calmed and disappeared. As he descended back to the ground, the other three walked up and surrounded him.

"We're not going to let anything happen to you anymore. We promise." Sokka gently said.

Following the young man's words, Katara squeezed Aang's hand in reassurance while Sokka and Naruto put a hand on both of his shoulders showing their own support.

Aang's glowing eyes and tattoos finally dimmed back to normal before he fell back in physical and emotional exhaustion. Thankfully the other three caught him and kneeled down to stay close.

"I'm sorry." Aang said quietly.

"It's not your fault." Katara soothingly replied.

Aang suddenly gained an even sadder look. "But you were right…and if the firebenders found this temple, then that means they found the others too…I really am the last airbender…"

Everyone looked down at him sadly and simply held him in silence for a little while.

They could've been out there for hours and they wouldn't have known. They just stayed in their positions to let Aang have some peace, but that eventually had to come to an end. However, the moment didn't end the way they expected.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka jumped in small fright when Naruto let out a groan of pain started to sweat a little as he held a hand over his midsection.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Aang quietly asked.

"Already worrying about your family, Aang?" Naruto let out a strained chuckle. "Don't worry about me. Your brother Naruto just needs to take some antacids or something…"

"_**You're going to need more than that, dumbass!"**_A familiar voice rang out in Naruto's head.

"_Kurama? Where the hell have you been, you damn furball?!" _Naruto mentally shouted.

"_**I thought a month-long nap was in order after surviving a war, but that's not the point!" **_The fox replied.

"_Then what are you going on about?"_

"_**This!" **_Kurama replied as if gesturing to something.

"_I can't see what you're pointing at you-"_

"_**Hahahahahahahaha I'm back!" **_A new voice yelled in crazed joy.

Naruto froze and his eyes widened which caught the attention of his friends.

"Naruto?" Katara called to him in worry.

"I-t's nothing…don't worry about me." Naruto nervously replied.

"_What's going on?!" _Naruto demanded internally.

"_**What's going on is that out of fucking nowhere the mindscape started having an earthquake and a bunch of dirt started picking up in some sort of tornado! Then-" **_

"_**Then I showed up! That must mean I'm alive! Nothing can stop me! I'm back for good, baby!" **_The insane sounding voice continued to laugh.

"_**Will you shut up you crazy tanuki?!" **_Kurama shot back.

"_Wait…Shukaku?!"_

"_**You're damn right!" **_The one-tailed beast proclaimed.

"_But- how are- wait- screw it! I'll deal with this later!" _

"_**Don't cut the link! Don't leave me with this psychotic son of a-"**_

Naruto didn't oblige.

"Naruto!" Katara yelled breaking the shinobi out of his short trance.

"Huh?" He replied.

"She asked are you sure you're alright?" Sokka said.

"Yeah, just kind of had a small conversation with my tenant." _'Or tenants now…' _He thought.

The three others were a bit confused for a second, but quickly realized what he meant and nodded in understanding.

"Okay then, but if something's wrong, you better let us know." Katara said in concern.

"Yeah, you got it." Naruto replied with hesitant thumbs up and sheepish smile.

* * *

It was now nearing sunset in the mountain ranges of the Southern Air Temple and all was quiet.

A few hours prior after everything calmed down, Naruto talked to Aang about how they should handle the remains of his people.

It certainly wasn't a subject Aang was comfortable with, but he knew it had to be done. It turns out that there was an entrance at the back of the sanctuary that led to an underground burial site where generations of those that lived before him were finally put to rest.

When Naruto first entered it he was pretty impressed. Once he made it down the long stairway he could do nothing but watch as he sent dozens of clones all guiding themselves with their small flames above their palms into the dark depths. They would light any torches they found hanging on the wall and illuminate the areas near them. It got to the point where there were hundreds of torches lit and they didn't seem to end! The carefully created paths just seemed to trail into the mountain indefinitely. He didn't know if they had earthbenders help make the place, but even if they did it would still be a difficult task to construct such a massive crypt!

It took a while, but Naruto eventually received information from his clones indicating they found a reasonably sized vacant area where the Air Nomads left off from. That's when Naruto got to work. He dispelled the rest of his clones that were in the burial site and created more when he got back up to the surface. These clones then took every skeleton and other remains of the Air Nomads that they gathered earlier and wrapped them all individually in some blankets he found in what he assumed was a storage building.

One by one they were carried by the Kage Bunshins into the vast tomb and set a course for the big and empty room they found. Aang, Katara, and Sokka watched this all happen in silence next to the entrance of the burial site and kept their heads bowed in respect until the last clone made it down the staircase.

The original Naruto then told them to follow him and his clones and they complied. The entire walk seemed to last hours and was very quiet and uneasy. It was hard to be comfortable when you had to pass a seemingly endless amount of corpses in various spots in the ground and along the walls, Naruto figured. It was especially hard for Aang as he seemed to look at every individual person that was a part of the family that was his culture. He had to repeatedly hold himself together and wipe a few escaping tears every now and then.

Once they finally made it to their destination they saw that the clones were nearly done with the preparations.

The group saw that the former empty chamber was lit up with plenty of torches and was morphed into an appropriate burial ground with some help from earthbending. Along the far end of the chamber were hundreds of decently sized holes that were dug in the ground and slots carved into the walls to compensate for the vast number of dead. From what they could all see, it was cleanly organized with enough space for everyone.

However, in the middle of the room and leaning against the wall was a stone casket that was surrounded by those in the ground and in the walls. On the front side of the casket that was seen the easiest was a wooden necklace firmly planted into the stone. Aang recognized it immediately and nearly wept when he saw that there was engraving that simply read-

_Gyatso_

Aang had given a silent thank you to Naruto before the group watched as the clones finished putting the rest of the dead in their designated places. Once all were secure in their spots the clones simultaneously planted their feet in the dirt and with a quick push forward with their arms they covered all of the skeletal remains with tightly backed dirt and gravel. They even managed to implant the symbol of the Air Nomads right where the people were placed in the walls while the same was done for those that were buried, except they instead received small memorial stones embedded in the ground above them with the same symbol.

For a few moments they once again held their heads down and sent silent prayers for them all before heading back up. On the way Naruto and Aang would extinguish any torches they passed with a small gust of wind.

When they finally made it to the surface they closed off the entrance and headed out of the sanctuary. An interesting thing that happened once they closed the giant doors was that the winged lemur from earlier was waiting for them all. Aang's eyes lit up with happiness once again when the small creature dropped some fruit in front of Sokka which he gladly indulged in before climbing onto the airbender's shoulders.

Aang declared him a new part of their family and affectionately named the lemur Momo.

Naruto then separated from the group since he had to dispose of the Fire Nation soldiers as well. While the others went to prepare a small spot for them to spend the night, Naruto went to the pile of firebenders in the courtyard he found and set them ablaze with a powerful stream of fire. It seemed proper, he mused, since they were being put to rest surrounded by their nation's element.

When there was only piles of ashes left he sent a strong gust of wind into the pile and watched as the remains of the invaders from a hundred years ago drift away into the distance towards the endless mountains.

He then silently turned around with a blank expression and walked into the direction of his companions.

This is where we find the group now.

"It's done." Naruto called out to the siblings as they surrounded a warm fire of their campsite. They were situated in an empty stretch of dead grass and weeds near the edge of a nearby cliff face that overlooked the entirety of the Patola Mountains.

Katara and Sokka looked to Naruto and merely nodded before returning to their relaxed positions.

"Where's Aang?" The blonde asked.

Sokka answered. "He took Appa and Momo and went towards the edge of the cliff over there." Sokka gestured to his left.

Naruto eyed where Sokka signaled and found himself squinting due to the setting sun in the distance. It took a little bit to adjust, but eventually Naruto was able to make out the shapes of a standing Aang and his two animal friends by his side; Appa laying down to Aang's left and Momo securely placed on his right shoulder.

Taking a moment to think Naruto decided to walk towards the young Avatar.

"We're all that's left of this place," Naruto heard Aang as he got closer, "We all have to stick together; you guys, Katara, Sokka, and Naruto."

"Mention me?" Naruto said announcing his presence.

Aang turned around and held a small smile. "Oh, hey Naruto."

Naruto calmly walked next to Aang without responding and stared into the faraway sunset and Aang did the same, as did Appa and Momo.

It was a memorizing sight to say the least. The abstract colors of oranges, reds, yellows, and pinks draped the mountains and the beautiful cloudy sky. All one had to do was gaze at its beauty for a small second to let everything around them take pause in order to melt into the aura this stunning act of nature gave off.

The four of them simply stood and relaxed to enjoy as much as they could. Eventually, though, Naruto decided to break the silence.

"How are you holding up?" Naruto asked without looking to his friend.

Aang was silent for a moment before he sighed and sat cross-legged with Naruto following the same example.

"I'm not sure exactly how I feel. I know I'm sad, but there just seems to be so much more…it's like there's a part of me that just can't accept that this happened while another wants to push forward. It…it's like I'm just sort of…stuck. I just don't know what I should do." He finished while continuing to look into the distance.

Naruto nodded. This was similar to how he felt the first night after realizing exactly what transpired after his battle with Kaguya.

"I know the feeling…" Naruto whispered.

Aang seemed to become more alert and turned to the shinobi.

"Actually, as strange as it may sound…I'm kind of glad that there is someone to relate to me on this even though the situations are massively different. Is that wrong?" Aang asked.

Naruto let out a quiet chuckle. "It isn't, so don't worry about it. It might seem weird, but even instances like this can bring people closer together."

Aang instantly thought about his new family and smiled gratefully. "Yeah…"

They became silent and stared at the mountains once again for a few minutes. However, just before the sun finally disappeared Naruto decided to say one last thing.

"Take it from me, arrowhead..." Naruto started while Aang looked at the blonde, "Over the years I've come to learn something very important."

Naruto paused which only got Aang to pay more rapt attention.

"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change."

The sun finally set and shadows shrouded them all as the stars started to emerge in all of their blinking splendor. Silence embraced the environment with the exception of the whistling and gentle winds.

It appeared that while some days were filled with darkness, there is always a bright tomorrow to look forward to.

**Chapter End**

**AN: Hey guys! I hoped you enjoyed the chapter even though it felt sort of like a filler and didn't have much action. I just wanted to get this out of the way to progress the plot. I originally planned to at least get to Kyoshi Island, but I felt this was a good spot to end. I also felt you guys should get something, as little as it may be, to sate your reading hunger. Hopefully soon I can start to expand from the canon storyline and get a little more creative. It just feels a little hard at the very beginning.**

**And Shukaku joins the party! What does mean for the future? Hint hint...wink wink...**

**Liked the Korra reference at the end? I've always loved that quote ever since the end of the first season and I remember thinking that maybe Aang could've learned it from Naruto at some point? Well, here we are!**

**Speaking of Korra…I forgot to mention it last chapter, which was already late enough, but how about the series finale? The music and the realization that it was actually over really hit the heartstrings, didn't it? At least for me it did, not to mention **_**that **_**ending with Korra and Asami…absolutely beautiful. Got to give props to Mike and Bryan, the creators, and Nickelodeon for making history. If you don't know what I mean, watch the entire show, I highly recommend it. Google is also a thing too…so…yeah…**

**Well, thank you all for being readers, both new and old. You have no idea how much it means to me for having this story progress to where it has and there is so much more of it to create! At this rate this story is going to be pretty big…hopefully I'll get more free time in the future…**

**Thanks once again, and if you could, please leave a review of your thoughts about the chapter.**

**See you next time you beautiful people!**

**Later!**


	9. A New Tenant and Faces of White

**AN: Hello again, my beautiful readers! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

The landscape was the same as it's always been ever since he first figured out how to really take control of his mind.

The ocean view was breathtaking and the untouched beaches and perfect plains of grass were never-ending from left to right. The soft breeze blew the natural aroma of salty air, along with a hint of a possible rainstorm into his nostrils. His sight was clear and unhindered from the bright light of the sun due to being mostly blocked by white and grey clouds, although some majestic rays managed to peek their way onto the world below them in god-like grandeur.

All in all, it was what he could positively call his happy place. The only way this could become even more serene is if he had a steaming bowl of the ramen that he grew up with followed by a nice, relaxing nap.

However, this was sadly not the time to enjoy his mindscape.

"**It's about damn time!" **A deep voice sounded behind Naruto.

The blonde shinobi turned around to see the fox laying down on its haunches with a red eye barely glancing out from between two of its mighty tails that were all looking to smother Kurama's head.

"Well, sorry! I just got to sleep and…um…what're you doing?" Naruto calmly asked.

Kurama, removing all tails from its face and sitting up, responded. **"What I'm doing is trying to tune out the actions of my mentally incompetent sibling!"**

"Speaking of Shukaku, where is the tanuki anyway?"

"**Give it a second." **Kurama blankly said.

"Give wha-" Naruto was interrupted by the ground beneath him shaking uncontrollably.

"The hell is that bastard doing?!" Naruto shouted while trying to stay standing.

Kurama merely used one its tails to gesture to the mass forest behind it with freakishly tall trees.

Naruto regained his footing and looked to the array of trees he created as a sort of natural habitat for Kurama. The trees were overly sized to match the fox's stature for plenty of room to run around and do whatever foxes did to its heart's content. It was a nice gesture after the ice was broken between the two of them all those years ago and would've been the magnificent sight it's always been if not for the massive trail of broken foliage that went off into the distance.

Naruto lamely pointed to the trail and looked up to meet Kurama's deadpan stare and small nod.

"Right, care to give me a lift?" Naruto asked.

The fox rolled its eyes and lowered its head. **"Just get on."**

Naruto nodded and jumped onto his partner's head before they followed the path of destruction Shukaku left behind.

* * *

Trees were knocked down, rock formations were practically broken to dust, and crazed laughter could be heard for miles around.

"**It's great to be out and about again! The air is fresh, the day is young, and there's so much to destroy! It's a shame there hasn't been anything to kill for fun, but might as well enjoy the moment!" **The one-tailed tanuki yelled into the sky as it knocked down some more trees that, to its slight confusion, were the same size as its huge body, but didn't really question it. The great manipulator of sand just wanted to enjoy finally being free and using that freedom to do whatever it wanted.

It was damaging whatever it could with its colossal tail, claws, and wind jutsus, and was savoring every second of it. Without the worry of being captured or fighting a war, the world was its oyster!

After Shukaku damaged the side of another mountain, Naruto and Kurama finally came upon the scene.

"Shouldn't Shukaku realize that we aren't anywhere near the battlefield or even in the Elemental Nations at all anymore?" Naruto asked while sitting upon his biju's head.

Kurama scoffed. **"You're stupid if you think Shukaku is anything but stupid."**

Naruto sent a mild glare at his original tenant. "What exactly happened when Shukaku showed up, anyway?"

"**The psycho formed out of nowhere, looked at me and screamed about being free, screamed to you not realizing you weren't physically around, then ran off and continued to yell out while destroying everything along the way." **Kurama replied.

Naruto gained a blank look. "Sounds about right...unfortunately. Well, let's get going." Naruto said as he and Kurama got closer with Shukaku not really caring enough to pay attention to its surroundings.

It only took a few more minutes of travel before they got within proper distance of their target.

With a chakra-enhanced voice and the clear goal of getting Shukaku's attention, Naruto yelled, "One sucks compared to nine!"

With a mighty claw in mid-swing suddenly stopping and the temperature growing colder and more intense, Shukaku slowly turned its head towards the newcomers behind it.

"**Can you run that by me again?" **The tanuki growled out with a deadly glare.

Kurama aimed its eyes towards his container on its cranium. **"Don't get the bastard riled up. I don't want to deal with this crap right now." **The fox said seriously.

Naruto mildly pouted, but recovered quickly. "You're no fun." He said before addressing the sand demon again. "Never mind what I said, we need to talk!" He shouted.

"**And what is so important that you have to interrupt my fun? In fact, why aren't you celebrating?! Look at us, we're all alive and well, so why don't you destroy things with me!? At least until something we can kill shows up?!**

"To think, this big bundle of crazy was so calm and cooperative the last time we met…" Naruto muttered to himself.

"**Just be grateful that we aren't being attacked right now." **Kurama added.

"Whatever." Naruto replied before raising the volume of his voice once again. "Shukaku, where are we right now?!"

The beast seemed to ponder the question while scratching its chin and glancing around a few times. After a few moments, it looked to the duo.

"**A forest?" **

Naruto felt like smacking himself on the forehead, but settled with a small sigh. "While that isn't entirely incorrect, is this a forest where you've been at any point in your life?! Look around! What actual place in the Elemental Nations has trees your size?!

Shukaku just seemed to look around even more and gained an expression of confusion.

"**Oh, for the love of- we're in the gaki's head, Shukaku!" **Kurama yelled out getting to the point.

The tanuki froze and continued to stare at Naruto and Kurama. In a rare moment of clarity, Shukaku spoke again.

"**So you mean he's-"**

"**Yes." **Kurama interrupted.

"**And I'm-"**

"Pretty much." Naruto cut in this time.

Shukaku just grunted to itself and seemed to be thinking harder before it lazily sat down on its rear, causing the ground to shake again and stayed balanced with the help of its tail and feet. If it wasn't for the Ichibi's unique features, it would look similar to a pouting child that was just told he was in timeout.

"This is turning out calmer than I expected." Naruto commented.

Kurama stayed silent as they waited for a response from the contemplative biju.

"**How did this happen? I thought we'd all be free once we left the statue." **Shukaku finally said.

The duo seemed a tad bit taken from the Ichibi's calmness, but quickly shook off any surprise.

"Well," Naruto started, "I'm not exactly sure. At the end of the fight when you all gave me a small piece of your chakra, I thought that would only be a onetime deal, but I guess it wasn't. During Kaguya's sealing I remember absorbing all kinds of energy, but I wasn't able to clearly identify them properly with everything going on. I'm no genius, but I think the Gedo statue must've given out and somehow all of you and your siblings might've been drawn to your wills that you lent to me and were absorbed along with everything else."

"**I'm going to have to agree with you on that one." **Kurama said.

"Really?" Naruto replied.

Kurama slightly nodded. **"Yeah, you're definitely not a genius." **

Naruto crawled close to one of Kurama's eyes to be seen and simply flipped him off before returning to his original position.

"**In all seriousness, though, I guess that's all we can go off of for now. If your little theory is true, then that means everyone else is in a dormant state for some reason. When I came back, I felt their chakra, so I thought they were all here, but I had to have Naruto confirm what was going on, and even then we weren't really focusing on the issue until now." **Kurama said.

"We would've talked it out if you didn't have to take your stupid nap." Naruto muttered to himself. Kurama heard, but didn't care.

"**Then how did I come back?"** Shukaku asked calmly.

"Before we can answer that, you have to understand something first." Naruto said.

"**What?" **Shukaku replied.

"We…uh…sorta…kinda…went to a different dimension with a whole new culture…and stuff…" Naruto sheepishly let out.

Shukaku went silent once again and looked down.

"Oh yeah, and a couple more things." Shukaku gave its attention back.

"It's…been around eight years since the war ended and I got some…uh…'improvements' in my vision which can be explained later by Kurama or you can just go ahead and look through some memories. Now then, you managed to reappear here earlier because I absorbed some energy called chi from a new friend who is a bit 'special' in this new world. This will also be explained later, but anyway, from what I can tell, this chi is allowing you guys to come back. The reason why, I'm not entirely sure, but I'll try to figure this all out as I go along."

"**And there's no way to get back to Suna or the Elemental Nations at all?" **Shukaku asked.

Naruto seemed a little downtrodden at that. "No, I have no idea how to create dimensions like Kaguya. I just don't know how she did it or if I'm even capable of it. It's beyond my skills at the moment." _'Doubt the Kamui can help, either.' _Naruto thought. Sure, he's screwed around with his new abilities, but it didn't mean he was a master of them. While he did get a lot of knowledge during Kaguya's sealing, it still seemed to be out of reach to help get back home. With Kaguya's chakra going haywire back in the volcano dimension, he was pretty sure that all of those other worlds opening up was just a result of uncontrolled power and dumb luck. If she could've accessed those worlds before, then why didn't she use them to her advantage? An inhabited world where they could've been dropped in would've made it more difficult for him and the rest of team 7 to deal with, right?

"**I see…so now what?" **Shukaku asked.

"Um…I'm not sure. I'm working on ending another war, so there's that. Kurama here most likely wants to sleep and relax as much as possible since there is pretty much no worry of you guys being in danger anymore."

"**And me?" **The tanuki questioned.

Naruto paused. "Well, what is it that you want to do?"

Shukaku gained a small and twisted grin with a look of bloodlust in its eyes.

"**I want to ki-"**

"-Kill, maim, destroy, and blah blah blah. I really should've already known that." Naruto interjected.

All he got from Shukaku was an excited nod.

"Well, I'm not going to go around killing people and you bet your ass all of that 'kill for mother' mumbo jumbo isn't going to work here. Even if you tried I can just mute you out and trap you in chains or something so you can't give me a migraine."

Shukaku frowned and look ready to take action, but Naruto spoke again.

"However, I can give you this instead."

Neither Kurama nor Shukaku knew what to expect, but as Kurama waited and Shukaku watched, Naruto closed his eyes in concentration and showed exactly what he meant.

In the span of a minute the environment right behind Shukaku started to change. Dirt and gravel started to shift into sand, buildings started to form out of the same material and hardened to stay in place, and other landmarks like parks filled with playground essentials were created.

Shukaku watched this all with great interest. None of its other jinchuriki were able to be so creative with their mindscapes. The most it was able to enjoy was an endless desert of sand, but that was it. Here, though, Naruto could create anything his head could cook up. This was the blonde's domain and Shukaku realized that now. When Naruto made the threat to have him chained down if he tried to cause trouble, he was definitely capable of doing so without hesitation.

Despite that, it was feeling genuine joy as the construction continued. As every building formed, it looked more and more like Suna! This wasn't joy from nostalgia, however, as this was where it was forced to be locked like a prisoner for many years. Even if things were settled between it and Gaara near the end of the war, it didn't mean that the memories of being forced into a sealed jail cell were forgotten. No, this growing joy was what this construction was really for. There was a small bit of disappointment from the lack of a human populace, but that didn't really matter too much.

As the last few buildings, including the Kage tower, were finished, Shukaku walked up to the village it knew so well and looked over everything from above with a calculative eye.

"Did I get it right?" Naruto asked still sitting upon Kurama's head.

Shukaku took a few moments to shift its vision over the village's entirety, but eventually let a small grin form with a certain gleam in its eyes.

That's all the confirmation Naruto needed.

The Ichibi turned to Naruto with a questioning glance and lifted a single finger to point down to the village.

Having a pretty good guess at what Shukaku wanted to do, Naruto nodded. "Go ahead and be as bat-shit crazy as you want. It should regenerate every hour or so. Consider this place your own little part of my mind."

With its grin turning bloodthirsty, Shukaku nodded back and turned towards the Kage tower and destroyed a big margin of it with a strong right hook, sending dust and debris flying around.

"**Well, looks like the psycho found a permanent pastime. You do realize I'm not going to get any peace, right?" **Kurama asked Naruto.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just put some sound barrier or something so you won't be disturbed. It's my mind, so I can do whatever I want." He responded.

Kurama grunted in acknowledgement.

"Well, I guess we're done here for now. Just let Shukaku destroy crap and you can go back to the other side of the forest or near the shore. It should be about time for me to wake up soon anyway. Might as well be an early bird." Naruto said.

"**Alright then, as long as I'm not disturbed. One more thing before you go, though." **The fox said.

"Yeah?" Naruto sounded preparing to leave.

"**What about the toads? Haven't you tried to reverse summon or something?"**

"Didn't I tell you to go through my memories?" Naruto asked.

"**Well, yeah, but I figured I'd do that later, but ol' sandy and psycho over there interrupted before I could." **

The blonde let out a small sigh looked down a bit with a small glint of sadness. "Of course I've tried, but it just doesn't work.I'm not an expert on this whole dimensional travel thing, but maybe Mount Myōboku is probably only unique to the dimension of the Elemental Nations. Maybe by being here the contract doesn't work? I don't have the faintest idea of what's exactly happening, but I know the toads are going to be a no-show for a long time, if not forever. I miss them just as much as everyone else." Naruto finished with a bittersweet smile.

Kurama stayed silent for a bit until Naruto spoke again.

"I think I've spent enough time here, so I guess I'll start getting ready for the day with the others." He said.

"**Alright, I'll relax and go through your memories to find out what's been going on. I've been curious about that new group you're with."**

"Oh, their names are Aang, Katara, and Sokka. You can find out more when you go through my memories, though." Naruto said as Kurama slightly nodded. "See ya later then, bunny ears!"

Like the many times before in their bickering escapades, Naruto was instantly flicked off of the Kyubi's head by a violent swat of an orange tail. With his body flying through the air hundreds of feet into the distance, Naruto yelled, "I regret nothing!" Once his voice echoed out for a bit, his body faded from the mindscape right before he was about to hit the tree line.

Kurama let out a small smirk as it began to make its way back towards its special napping spot.

"**That always feels good."**

* * *

"Is everything packed?" Naruto asked his friends.

"Pretty sure we have it all covered." Sokka replied as he checked over Appa's saddle.

It was the next morning after the group's arrival to the Southern Air Temple, along with Naruto's mindscape meeting, and they were all ready to go and move on with their journey.

"Are you guys sure that we should be leaving already? It seems a little weird to only be here a day." Aang stated from his spot on Appa's head.

"I don't see why not. We explored most of the place yesterday and I get the feeling that we, especially you, need to clear our heads after that little spiritual episode." Naruto responded as he helped Sokka.

"He's right, Aang," Katara started as she calmly sat on the saddle while petting a napping Momo in her lap, "It took you hours to fall asleep and even then it was because Naruto used an illusion on you. A little traveling should relax you."

Aang looked to argue, but quickly relented. "Fine. I guess some flying will help." He said.

"And it's not like we'll be gone forever. We can stop by here whenever we want." Naruto said finishing his preparations.

"How?" Aang questioned.

"Remember this?" Naruto said while a tri-pronged kunai instantly appeared in his hand.

"I think so. That's the teleporty thing, right?" The airbender responded.

"Hiraishin kunai," Naruto corrected, "And it's with this awesome weapon that we can come back anytime." The shinobi finished before sending the kunai flying with the flick of his wrist. The deadly piece of chakra-conducted metal whistled through the air for a mere second before impacting deeply into the trunk of a large tree both ancient in age and stature fifty yards away from their position. The tree was in the middle of an old rundown garden near where they were camping the night before.

"Observe." Naruto said as he put his hand on Sokka's shoulder. Before the Water Tribe native could react, he and Naruto instantly disappeared in a flash of yellow.

Aang watched this with amazement. While he remembered Naruto using this technique in the Tsukuyomi, it was an entirely different thing to see it in person with all of his focus on it.

"Warn me the next time you do that!" Sokka's voice yelled out from the kunai embedded tree.

Aang and a perfectly calm Katara turned their heads to the male duo in the distance.

"You still don't get queasy, do you?" Naruto asked.

"No, but surprising me like that just might make me sick like the first time!" Sokka responded.

"That was a nasty day." Katara absentmindedly commented with a small grimace.

"Have you teleported before?" Aang asked glancing to the waterbender.

Katara nodded and smiled. "Plenty of times. The first time really gave me a stomach ache, but it passed quickly and all the times after that were all fine and really fun."

"Whatever, let's just get going." They heard Naruto say just as he appeared next to them in a Shunshin, surprising the airbender once gain while Katara seemed unaffected.

"Hurry up, Sokka! We're losing daylight!" Naruto yelled out.

The young warrior grumbled to himself before stomping his way to his friends.

When Sokka finally made it to his position on Appa's saddle Aang turned to Naruto.

"You said whenever we wanted, right?" He asked.

"Pretty much. The next time we come back maybe we can spruce up the place a bit; clean the buildings, replant the flowers and trees, maybe even add a movie theater." Naruto muttered the last part to himself.

"What?" The other three sounded in unison.

"Nothing important. Let's get going!" Naruto responded.

With a nod and now facing forward, Aang whipped Appa's reigns and called out the magic words.

"Yip yip!"

And off they went deep into the sky as they continued forth towards whatever destination was presented before them.

* * *

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" Sokka asked.

"Um…well I know it's near water." Aang said sheepishly.

Sokka looked around where they were currently flying and saw nothing but endless ocean around them in all directions.

"That doesn't exactly help…" Sokka responded.

It's been a few days since their departure from the Southern Air Temple and the trip has been rather uneventful so far. With no particular place in mind to travel to, Aang brought back the idea of riding on giant koi fish. With nothing else important happening, the rest of the group agreed and let him lead the way.

Sadly, the trip hasn't exactly been smooth.

At the beginning it wasn't so bad, but as the days progressed they realized that they were a little lost. They had to make multiple pit stops at random places to let Appa rest and to try and figure out where they were. Sometimes they landed on an island devoid of humans while at other times they happened to come across a small village on some of the land masses near the South Pole that fell under Earth Kingdom jurisdiction.

The only times they interacted with anyone in these villages at all were to get some supplies and ask for directions to at least know the general way to go. Some people stopped to look closely at them since they obviously weren't local, while others just ignored them altogether without a second thought.

Those that paid close attention would easily distinguish the siblings as traveling Water Tribesman, but Naruto and Aang were quite a sight.

Two young men, one having rare bright yellow hair and whisker marks on his face, and the other being dressed in orange and yellow garbs with an arrow tattoo on his bald head, would definitely raise some eyebrows here and there.

The blonde would remain a mystery yet leave a kind impression to those he talked to, while the monk would later be brought back into conversation when his description was found out by some the village's elders.

Those with an older age and some basic knowledge of the long-gone Air Nomads would speculate what the true identity of the tattooed young man and pass on that speculation with the locals. Word spread around quickly in these villages and everyone was eventually talking about an airbender that may have actually been among them, and not just any airbender, but the one person the world has been waiting to return for a century.

The Avatar.

Once that entered the minds of villagers, they quickly wanted to seek out the young group and question them, but just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished, sometimes even leaving people with their jaws on the ground when they saw a sky-bison flying away into the distance.

That brings the group to their current position of flying at a fast pace over the vast southern ocean.

"Just relax a little, Sokka. Enjoy the fact that you finally get to see the world." Naruto said from his laidback position at the side of the saddle.

"I am enjoying it, but I don't enjoy not knowing where I'm going. You've been out here before, right, so why couldn't you get us back on track?" Sokka replied.

"Well, when you take a nap for a few hours and wake up to find yourself on an island you've never been on in the middle of the ocean you tend to lose your sense of direction." Naruto said in monotone while focusing at the activity he was currently indulging himself in.

Sokka mentally shrugged and his attention was brought to the whizzing sound coming from between Naruto's palms.

"How long have you been doing that?" Sokka asked.

Naruto continued to stare at the rapidly spinning ring of marbles between his hands. Aang showed him this airbending trick earlier and let him borrow the marbles to pass the time.

"I don't know. One, maybe two hours? I lost track. This, for some reason, is really amusing." Naruto replied with Momo suddenly appearing on the shinobi's shoulder to stare at the marbles as well.

"Sure it is," Sokka replied before turning to his sister, "How are my pants coming along, Katara?"

Katara, currently sewing the hole in her brother's pants, looked up.

"Just give me a little more time. Why did you have to go and rip them again?" She asked.

Sokka suppressed a shiver down his spine and looked a bit uneasy. "These things tend to happen when your evasion training is upgraded from snowballs to kunai…" He replied.

Katara slightly paled at the thought. She must've missed the training session when she was asleep or walking through one of the villages they visited. If Sokka was already doing this kind of training, did this mean she would be put through the grinder too?

She looked to the engrossed Naruto and Momo. _'To think that goofball is so deadly…' _She thought.

"So are they done yet?" Her brother's voiced snapped her out of her trance.

"Huh?" She sounded as she looked to Sokka.

"Hurry up, will ya? Use some of that girly sewing speed so I can get some warmth already! My legs are freezing!" The now revealed pants less Sokka exclaimed.

Katara stared at her brother blankly. "What does me being a girl have to do with it?"

"_You're treading dangerous waters, Sokka.' _Naruto calmly thought as he kept up his activity.

Sealing his fate, Sokka said, "You know, like how girls are better at cooking, cleaning, and stuff."

While Sokka has definitely curbed most of his stereotypical thoughts over the years because of the sudden increase and interaction with the female warriors, he still managed to keep a few generalizations in his subconscious…sadly.

With an irritated twitch in her eyebrow, Katara held the only halfway repaired pair of trousers for Sokka to see. "There, all done! And look at what a great job my girly skills did!" She said with fake enthusiasm as she tossed the pants back to Sokka.

Quickly realizing he screwed up, Sokka looked through the hole in his pants and said, "Wait, I'm sorry! Please, Katara, I can't wear these!"

"Don't worry, Sokka," Aang started from Appa's head, "Where we're going, you won't need any pants!" He said happily.

'_Sounds fun.' _Naruto calmly thought without breaking his façade.

* * *

With some more flying time having gone by, along with a now repaired pair of pants after much begging, the group was approaching an island in the distance.

"We're almost there!" Aang yelled out in joy.

"This is where those koi fish are supposed to be?" Naruto asked.

Aang was practically bouncing in excitement. "Yeah, they- look!" He interrupted himself and pointed eagerly at the waters below.

The other three all went to the left side of the saddle and peered to the mass of blue they were flying over.

Under them was what appeared to be a school of the giant koi fish Aang had been talking about. Some were calmly swimming just under the surface while others jumped out of the water in all of their orange and yellow magnificence.

"Wow, those are some big fish." Naruto muttered.

"Can…can those fish be caught?" Sokka asked with a dreamy gaze on his face. The thought of catching even one of these creatures for a grand feast nearly broke the poor boy's mind.

Naruto seemed to ponder Sokka's question. "Shouldn't be impossible. Hey Aang- wait, what're you doing?"

Naruto's words made Katara and Sokka take their focus off of the fish and towards Aang. The young airbender was fiddling around with his clothing and taking them off as fast he could. He already had his torso bare and was working on getting his pants off.

"Like I said, I wanted to ride them!" Aang responded with a megawatt smile as he got his pants off, leaving him in his brown undergarments and nothing else.

"But why are you getting undressed now? Aren't you going to wait until we get to-"

Naruto's question was left unanswered because in that moment Aang suddenly jumped off the side of Appa and headed straight towards the water like a torpedo hell-bent on its mission.

"Aang!" Katara yelled as she helplessly reached out to grab him. The trio that remained on the bison quickly gathered next to each other to look over the side of the saddle to see where the young Avatar made his impact.

As they watched on, Aang's figure got smaller and smaller until they were able to make out the splash that accompanied his impact in the water.

For a few moments the trio was silent and waited for their friend to resurface. With a breath that felt like it was held in for hours, Naruto exhaled and said, "Did we just watch the Avatar begin his reincarnation process?"

Katara and Sokka stayed silent and continued to stare at the water.

Not really worrying too much, Naruto continued to look on as well and waited. When it was starting to get a little scary, even for the blonde, the water started to bubble at the surface until an elephant koi burst into the air with a passenger hanging on its dorsal fin for dear life.

That passenger was an overly joyous Aang who was laughing in utter happiness as he glided along the water with his fishy companion.

Katara and Sokka let out a small sigh in relief and began to become really interested in Aang's proficiency to ride the gigantic fish.

"That actually looks like fun." Naruto said as he stared at the airbender continue his fun.

"Yeah, maybe we should try that when we get to the shore of the island. Sound like a plan, Naruto?" Katara asked but was only met with silence. "Naruto?" She turned her head to see the blonde standing directly on the edge of the saddle in a crouch with a daring smile breaking his visage.

"Are you-"

"Hell yeah I am!" Naruto interrupted the waterbender as he took a mighty leap off their transport.

Katra and Sokka watched as just like their friend before him, Naruto flew towards the water at high speeds.

"Should we really be surprised?" Katara asked.

"Nope, we've seen too much to be surprised anymore. Let them be crazy. We'll just wait for them by the beach." Sokka responded as he crawled towards the reigns that were unmanned and took control of Appa to begin their descent to land.

Katara nodded and lazily hung on the side of the saddle to observe her wild friends with a small smile.

Aang was still hanging on the koi's fin and was smoothly gliding along with the other fish matching the same pace around him in one big group. Meanwhile Naruto was still shooting through the air and was about to make his impact, but something entirely new broke the surface of the water behind the school of fish.

"What is that?" Katara muttered to herself.

* * *

'_This is awesome!' _Naruto mentally shouted with his face being pelted by the rushing winds. Falling and flying in the sky was definitely more fun when it was done voluntarily instead of being knocked around in training or in fights for your life.

'_Okay, I'll make some sort of ice ramp from the water when I get close enough and launch myself in the air again to- what the hell is that?'_

His thought process was stopped when he saw a _massive _dorsal fin break out of the water. Judging from its size it looked to completely dwarf the elephant koi. Speaking of the fish, the one that Aang was on was suddenly pulled underwater, completely stopping its momentum and launching the Avatar high and forward into the air before landing back in the cold water.

'_Holy crap it was just eaten wasn't it?!'_ Naruto mentally shouted as he saw Aang's head pop out of the water, only to turn round and completely freak out upon the sight of the unexpected predator's fin. With adrenaline and fear skyrocketing through Aang's body, he suddenly turned and started to actually _run _away on the surface of the water as he fast as he could.

'_What kind of airbending is he doing there? Wait, I'm about to hit the water…and swim around with that thing…crap…' _He thought in worry. _'Alright, time for some quick waterbending and Hiraishin action to get me to the shore; should be easy enough.'_

From what he could see, Aang was getting close to the island at a fast enough rate to convince the water monster to give up. Because of this, the creature's dorsal fin began to slow down before gradually sinking back into the icy depths.

"_Okay, good. It doesn't even expect me. I should be able to move pretty fast.' _The shinobi thought in relief as he saw that he was about to land a good ways away behind that massive monster.

However, to his surprise and fear, just before he was about to spring into action, a large tail emerged from the sea right where he was heading.

"Oh, come on!" Naruto shouted as the tail sent a mighty flap onto the water's surface to push whatever creature it belonged to deeper into the ocean. In doing so it not only made contact with the water, but the unfortunate ninja as well.

With a loud _thwap _Naruto was launched back into the skies at a faster speed than when he was falling.

* * *

From Appa's back, Katara and Sokka watched on as Aang made it to the island and launched himself onto the beach and slid on its snowy sands in liberation. At the same time, though, they saw a black and yellow blur speed its way towards them from below.

Before they could even react, that blur sped passed them with a continuous scream of fright that became loud and clear, but became echoed and distant as it ascended to the skies and broke through the clouds.

The siblings stared at the collection of clouds above them with eyes wide and mouths agape.

For a few moments they continued to stare, but then slowly turned towards each other.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Sokka asked doubtfully.

Katara just looked back to the clouds before saying, "Uh…I think so…"

Deciding that Naruto could hopefully take care of himself, Sokka shook his head and steered Appa down to a small clearing in the foliage of frail trees to let the bison rest.

After a minute of descending, Appa landed and the Water Tribe siblings walked towards their friend with his discarded clothes in hand.

When they got close to the prone Avatar as he breathed rapidly on the beach, Katara said, "Are you alright, Aang?"

Aang calmed down a bit before standing back up and looked at the siblings.

"Yeah…yeah, I should be fine. Do you have any idea what that was?" Aang responded.

The duo shook their head in a negative.

Aang mentally nodded and took the time to take his surroundings before being given his clothes back. While he was getting dressed, he saw that they were short one person.

"Guys, where's Naruto?' Aang asked as he was getting prepared to put the final piece of attire on his torso.

"Yeah, about that…" Sokka started, but was cut off as he heard a disturbance in the trees. As he quickly looked up and reached for his club he saw a group of five people fly down towards him and his friends with surprising stealth and speed.

They landed all around them and before he could fully grab his weapon, he was grabbed from behind and pulled away by two of the assailants.

The same happened to Katara as she was just barely able to bend some water out of her water pouch before it became useless and splashed onto the ground as she was roughly seized.

Aang was just putting his shirt over his head when whoever showed up attacked and was grabbed in his momentary period of blindness.

Momo was the last victim as he was quickly grabbed and put into a bag to prohibit his movement.

One after the other they were all blindfolded and had their hands tied behind their backs before being pushed onto the ground in a defeated heap.

After coughing a bit from the dirt in his face, Sokka shouted, "You are so going to regret this when I escape or when our reinforcements get here!"

One of the attackers scoffed, obviously not believing their captive.

"What should we do with them?" A feminine voice asked and caught the attention of the captured group.

One more feminine voice, belonging to who they suspected was the leader, said, "Take them back to the village for interrogation. Then we'll decide whether or not to throw them with the unagi."

As the other ambushers were about to grab their prisoners, they all heard a very distant shout.

They stopped and looked to one another and simultaneously turned their heads to the sky where they traced the sound. With most of them holding their hands to shield their eyes from the sun, they all made out what looked like a distant black dot falling towards them.

"Ye….ow…fo…own…m…ay!" A voice echoed.

"What?" One of the assailants lamely sounded.

* * *

"Yellow fox down! Yellow fox down! Mayday! Mayday!" Naruto shouted as he was once again freefalling at great velocity.

When he was smacked back into the air by that giant tail earlier he was instantly disorientated. The force of the hit made him see stars and everything around him was swiftly spinning. It was just a few short moments ago during his descent that he regained most of his bearings and saw his current situation and started yelling in a momentary panic.

"_**Get a hold of yourself, dumbass!" **_A voice suddenly yelled out in his mind.

Naruto stopped flailing around and got into a somewhat calm position with his limbs sprawled out.

"_Oh, hey, Kurama. What's up?" _Naruto calmly asked

"_**Shukaku and I just got done catching up with everything going on. Then the instant we're done, we have to see that once again, you're making an idiot of yourself!"**_ Kurama responded.

"_Shit happens, alright! It's not my fault that-"_

"_**You have father's eyes?!" **_A different voice shouted.

Not used to a new tenant, Naruto paused. _"Oh, uh…yeah…I do have the Rinnegan. Um…surprise?"_

"_**Never mind that!" **_Kurama said. _**"What's going on?!"**_

Now relatively calm, Naruto mentally replied with, _"Oh, just falling to my death from the sky. Just the usual, really."_

The fox's eyed rolled. _**"Are you about to hit solid ground?" **_Kurama asked.

"_Yup." _Naruto replied.

"_**Then can't you just throw a Hiraishin kunai below you and teleport to it so you don't become a messed up pile of pure stupid on the ground?"**_

Naruto calmly paused and blinked, even with the constant stream of wind in his face.

"_I would've thought of it eventually."_

"_**Sure you would." **_The fox sarcastically replied.

* * *

Whatever was falling from the sky had just stopped making noise and was progressively getting bigger as each second passed.

"Wait, is that a person?!" One of them said in slight disbelief.

It was true. As the object was getting closer, they realized due to the arms and legs they could make out, it wasn't just some bird or something, but an actual human being careening right towards them.

"How's that possible?!" Another yelled.

They all continued to pay rapt attention to the falling person, but before they could get a decent enough look at him or her, the sunlight reflected off of something and sent a quick flash in their field of vision.

They all suddenly shut their eyes in reflex, and during that time they all heard a quiet _thump _hit the ground close to the ocean's water. In their minds the person must've finally hit the ground, but wouldn't it have been louder than that?

They all started blinking the dots away in their vision from the flash and all looked towards where they suspected the poor victim must've landed.

Imagine their surprise when they all saw the back of a masculine black and orange-clad stranger looking himself over while patting away any dust or dirt on his clothing with his right gloved hand while having some sort of unique knife in his left. With a hood over his head, they couldn't even make out any simple features such as his hair color.

'_What?!' _They all collectively thought.

Who was this guy? How did he get here? Was he the one from the sky? If so, then how is he not a bloody stain on the ground?

"Who are you?!" The voice of the leader shouted.

The stranger's body suddenly stopped what he was doing and slowly turned around to see where the voice came from.

Everyone tried to see his face, but with the hood on they could only see the stranger's mouth.

"Uh…hi?" The man said raising his hand with the knife in it as some sort of lame greeting.

"_**Smooth."**_ Kurama said.

"_Still trying to get what's going on you furball."_

Kurama growled in response, but Naruto ignored it and got his first good look at the group in front of him.

They were a group of five women dressed in green-armored kimonos, metal headdresses, and had white-faced makeup with some red added above their eyes. They all held metal fans in each hand and even had a katana strapped to their sides. All of them looked to have the relatively same hair color and style except for the one in the middle with shorter hair and a lighter brown shade.

'_Huh…that's pretty cool.'_

"Answer the question! Who are you?!" The woman at the front demanded as she got into a protective stance with her fans now retracted. The others quickly followed her example.

The shinobi was about to respond, but looked passed the group of female warriors and saw his friends tied up on the ground.

"Aang, Katara, Sokka, can any of you tell me what's going on?!" Naruto called out.

Sokka looked like he was about to angrily shout, but Aang spoke first.

"I think we just met the locals, Naruto! They seem nice!" Aang shouted, hoping to break the hostile tension.

"Naruto? Wait, you're with them?" The lead female asked.

"Uh, yeah?" Naruto responded.

"Well, whoever you all are, we're going to have to take you all in for questioning." She proclaimed.

"Will you let my friends go first?" The blonde asked.

"Not until we know you aren't a threat." She replied.

"Do you want me to be a threat?" Naruto responded.

The woman narrowed her eyes and looked ready to attack.

"Naruto, can you try and be a bit more diplomatic?! We don't need a fight right now!" Katara yelled out from her spot.

"But fighting is fun, and I haven't had one in a while!" Naruto shouted back.

"Not the point!" Katara responded.

"You want a fight?" The leader asked challengingly.

"If I attack you, will you give me one?" Naruto inquired.

"We'll have no choice." She replied.

"Alright then." Naruto said as he looked down to his Hiraishin kunai still in his hand and lazily tossed in the air towards them while quietly saying, "Pew."

The kunai traveled very slowly and flew in a rainbow arc towards the warrior he was talking to. It was obvious where it was going to land, so the woman just took a single step to her right and watched the weapon softly penetrate the ground of her former position.

She looked at it for a second before glaring back at the person now known as Naruto.

"Fine, if you want a fight so bad, we'll give you it!" She shouted and charged Naruto with the other women following.

"Naruto, don't go hurting people for no reason!" Aang shouted.

"Don't worry about it, arrowhead!" Naruto yelled back before focusing on the group of female warriors sprinting towards him in sync with each other in pace and stance with metal fans held out at their sides.

"Lesson one," Naruto muttered before getting prepared with his stance, "Taijutsu."

The leader finally got in close and tested a swing at her opponent, but her wrist was smacked, making her drop one of her fans before being pushed and stumbled passed Naruto. The next two came in and tried to overwhelm him, but he quickly grabbed the arm of one while dodging the other's strike. He then quickly threw the girl he held into the one that missed her hit and they both fell to the ground on top of each other in a heap.

The other two tried to do the same as the three before them, but it just wasn't enough. One after another they were repeatedly being parried, grabbed and given a strong enough hit to be momentarily stunned, and sometimes their attacks missed altogether!

Eventually realizing hand-to-hand wasn't going to work, those that didn't completely become disarmed of their fans put them away with everyone unsheathing their katanas and taking out their retractable shields before surrounding their hooded opponent.

Naruto looked at the warriors circling him impressed as he smirked. "Lesson two," He muttered again before his unsheathed ninjato instantly appeared in his right hand seemingly out of thin air causing those around him to gasp, "Kenjutsu."

This time he charged a random warrior who immediately went on the defensive. He sent a downward slash at her and she blocked it with her shield, although with slight difficulty. This was the cue for one of her companions to charge in with her own sword in an attempt to stab the man from behind.

He sensed her coming and stepped to the side just in time for the blade to pass him before he struck at the sword with his own, making it stick into the ground as he stuck his leg out and tripped her. She fell forward quickly and lost grip of her weapon and shield when she hit the ground with strong force. With her now on her back and defenseless, she tried to get up quickly, but froze when she saw the man send a slash down at her with no hope of dodging.

Her eyes showed clear fright as the dark blade came swinging down, but before it made contact with her, she saw her leader desperately slide in next to her and used her own shield to block the strong strike.

The leader stayed in her position with clear intent to protect one of her own and sent a murderous glare straight at the man's shadowed eyes.

For a second he stayed still and, to her surprise, looked to nod in approval before dodging another swipe from another warrior's sword and moved away to gain some ground.

"Thank you." The girl on the ground muttered to her superior who merely nodded before helping her back up and getting ready to fight again.

Sadly, just like with their previous confrontation, their efforts were for naught. Sometimes they would initiate the attack while at other times he would. When they attacked he easily blocked everything they sent at him no matter how hard they hit. He would calmly stand there and defend himself with no trouble and was able to consistently keep up with anyone who attempted to assault him.

When he attacked he would get within their comfort zone very easily and send an array of quick strikes that would wear one of them out before moving on to someone else while also redirecting any shots at him along the way.

* * *

Sparks would fly with every _clang _that rang out and to the three plus Momo that were still tied up, it sounded like a small war was happening.

"He isn't going to seriously hurt any of them, is he?" Aang asked in worry as he heard another feminine grunt of pain.

"While I don't approve of him starting a fight, he wouldn't hurt them without a reason. It sounds like he's just wearing them out or something." Katara responded.

"As long as he kicks their butts, I don't care what he does." Sokka annoyingly said.

"You're just mad they got the jump on us." Katara said.

Sokka scoffed. "Whatever…"

* * *

The small group of female fighters were really feeling the effects of the fight so far. Sweat ran down their faces, surprisingly not smearing their white makeup, their limbs felt like they were on fire, and any hopes of winning this fight were quickly dwindling.

'_How can he fight like this?!' _The panting leader thought as she saw another one of her subordinates get deflected and pushed to the ground. This had been a rapid pattern for the last few minutes and every time one of them was knocked down, it seemed harder and harder to get back up.

"I think I've had enough fun." Naruto said as he looked around at his grounded and exhausted opponents.

'_Fun?!' _They all thought is disbelief. Their surprise didn't end, though, as just like before, his sword looked to be magic as it suddenly disappeared.

"Third and final lesson," They heard him say as he crossed his arms and slightly lifted his right foot, "Bending!" He shouted as he stomped the ground.

Immediately all of the warriors found themselves suddenly sinking into to the ground at a fast rate. It was so quick that they couldn't even react enough to stop their limbs from being embraced by the soil of their homeland. For a second they all thought they would be doomed to endure a horrible death of being buried alive, but when they realized their air wasn't cut off, they saw they all were just buried up to their necks.

Becoming aware that they weren't going any farther into the ground, the leader shouted, "You're an earthbender?! Why are you doing this?!"

Naruto stayed silent and simply walked passed them all towards his friends.

Hearing Naruto's steps, Katara said, "Have you had enough fun?"

"Nope." He responded as he got them out of their restraints one at a time.

When the three humans and lemur were let go and stretching to get the feeling back in their bodies, they heard Naruto whisper, "Don't interfere, I won't do anything bad. I just want to find something out." Then he silently walked back towards the trapped female warriors. The three friends looked to each other and shrugged and quietly watched their shinobi friend go about his business.

Every warrior was able to see Naruto walking towards them from their positions and one of them said, "Now what? You going to gloat?"

Naruto stopped walking when he was ten feet away from them.

"Not really," He started as he reached for the bundled cloth around his neck, "I just wanted to test what would happen if I did this in Earth Kingdom territory."

The women's now curious looks suddenly turned as pale as the makeup they were wearing when they saw the mysterious man lift up what they now knew was a mask that covered half of his hidden visage. The rows of teeth designed on the black cloth were practically unmistakable. Over the years people who traveled to the port on their island would tell stories of the man that decimated a large Fire Nation Naval force single-handedly. While that was the only instance the world had seen a sample of his power, it was clearly enough to gain everyone's attention.

Not long after the supposed event, when most of them were still young children hoping to become the proud protectors of their home, a bounty poster made its way into the hands of the community. Everyone wanted to get at least one glimpse of the man that managed to send shockwaves throughout the world. When they saw the picture made from multiple witness descriptions, they were slightly intimidated by the mask the attacker wore, but what really sent a chill down their spines at the time was that ringed eyes were drawn into the shadows of his face.

Those eyes were enough to scare them silly, but the rest of the information on the poster really brought home how dangerous of an individual he was. His alias was 'The Purple-eyed Demon' and it was _highly _recommended to not engage this individual in combat for he supposedly had abilities that were unheard of like replicating himself, controlling the very gravity on one's shoulders, and being able to instantly teleport wherever he wanted. The reward for the killing or capture of this individual would be met with piles of gold that would last a lifetime from the Fire Nation. The Earth Kingdom didn't declare an official price for this demon's head, but everyone knew he wasn't exactly a friend so they would always be weary of anyone that even relatively fit the man's description. The Northern Water Tribe was the same as the Earth Kingdom, but they weren't as worried since they were more isolated than the other current nations.

While the reward for this man was every bounty hunters' wet dream, the intimidation was too much for a vast majority of them. The thought of bringing this man in to one of the Fire Nation colonies or even the Fire Nation itself seemed like an impossible endeavor.

Now here was the man that had a vast majority of the world at least a little afraid right in front of her. If she had any doubts of his identity, the next thing he did cleared up any confusion instantly.

As he silently stared at them, two ringed orbs of violet started to glow and pierce deep into their souls.

"Oh spirits no…" One of the warriors whispered with a trembling breath and fearful eyes.

He then started making a few steps towards them once again and with every step that made contact with the ground, the women found themselves struggling harder and harder to escape.

When he stopped right in front of them all he looked down at all of their expressions of horror and fear.

"Wow, am I really that scary?" He calmly asked to himself.

None of them responded, but one of them seemed to be so scared for her life, her lip started quivering and water droplets were forming at the corners of her eyes.

At that instant Naruto knew that he had gone a tad bit overboard.

"Oh crap, sorry, sorry! Don't cry! I'm not going to hurt anyone!" He said in a rushed and worried voice which confused them all.

Before they could even react he hit the ground with his foot again and they all found themselves launched back above the surface of the ground and nearly fell when they tried to find their footing.

"_**Aw, why did you stop? Their looks of utter fright were so delightful!" **_Shukaku exclaimed disappointedly.

"_Not now Shukaku! Just go back to destroying Suna to pass the time."_

The biju was silent for moment, but spoke again.

"_**Will you do the marble thing again later?" **_The Ichibi asked with a surprising hint of hope in its voice.

"_Fine, whatever." _Naruto responded.

"_**Okay then." **_And just like that, Shukaku cut the connection.

"_**Damn idiot…"**_ He heard Kurama mutter.

When Naruto's attention brought his attention back to the unearthed females, he saw they hadn't moved from their spots at all and seemed to just be frozen.

"Uh…you guys okay?" Naruto asked as he took a step forward, but that caused the girls to take two steps backward in response.

"Oh yeah…reputation of destruction…right…" He said to himself. He knew that words wouldn't really help right now, but just decided to appear as peaceful as possible.

Without speaking, the five women saw the purple eyes lose their light and returned to the shadowy depths from whence they came. Next, they saw the man pull down the mask to where it was when they first confronted him, and finally, they stared as his hands made their way to grip the sides of his hood and didn't know what to expect.

What kind of sick, twisted face belonged to a man of such a reputation? Would it be disfigured from years of combat? Scarred from the bloody conflicts that he no doubt has participated in? Does he have the look of some evil and disgusting swamp monster that comes from deep within the mists of- oh?

With jaws slacked and eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, they all stared at the young man that was really behind the mask and hood. His bright spiky hair shined like a midday sun, his whiskered birthmarks gave him a feral look that only added more appeal to his perfectly shaped jawline and general shape of his visage, his peaceful smile actually managed to ease them a bit, and lastly, the eyes that were just a source for immediate horror and intimidation, were a strikingly beautiful blue that radiated an aura of tranquility.

"See? I'm not a monster or anything, so you don't have to be scared." He said sheepishly with his hands held up as he slowly stepped towards them again.

This time they didn't back away, but were still very cautious.

"Now that things are at least relatively calm, can I please know your name?"

"What?" The one closest to him said after breaking out of her daze.

"Your name," He said, "You already know mine is Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto as a matter of fact. You're the leader of this bunch, right? What do I call you?" He asked with his foxy grin breaking out to hopefully calm the tense atmosphere.

The leader's mind was racing at a mile a minute and couldn't form a coherent thought for what seemed like hours. Her mouth repeatedly opened and closed, trying to say something without sounding odd or possibly even making him angry enough to unleash his wrath upon them all.

Finally, when she calmed down a bit, she was able to let out the single word she tried so hard to collect from her memory.

"Suki."

**Chapter End**

**AN: Well, I hope you all liked reading this one!**

**It took a while to get the gears going in my head to decide what to put in here, but it eventually came together! Hopefully everything makes enough sense.**

**While I hoped to get farther than this, I believe this is a good place to stop, especially since Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors are now introduced!**

**Thank you all for reading, you guys, and if you would be so kind, please leave a review of what you thought about this chapter!**

**See you all next time, you beautiful bunch of people!**

**Later!**


	10. Friendly Brawl and Future Troubles

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Airbender**

The cold forested path was practically dead silent with the tapping of footsteps being the only exception. Out of all those in the travelling group, Appa's heavy feet created the loudest impact on the winter ground. Upon the furry beast's head was his best friend, Aang, who was sitting cross-legged with his staff resting on his lap and Momo hanging lazily off his shoulder.

Despite his usually happy and outgoing personality, he didn't really feel like speaking out since the general atmosphere still had a lingering tenseness to it. It wasn't hard to see why as he looked to his friends and the women Naruto had fought just minutes prior.

Naruto, Sokka, and Katara were walking at a steady pace right in front of the large bison while the female fighters in green made sure to keep their distance. If one were to use the sky bison as a unit of measurement, he would say that the women were about three Appas ahead of the rest of them. It was from that distance that the still slightly ruffled and shaken warriors periodically sent small glances back to the island's newcomers while harshly whispering amongst themselves.

"Think they're still scared?" Naruto calmly asked to his friends.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "No, I bet they're filled with so much happiness that they just need a moment to themselves. " He said with obvious sarcasm.

"Afraid or not, at least they're leading us to their village. That means they're at least a little okay with us, right?" Katara asked.

"Either they tolerate us, or they're so scared that Naruto's going to invade and burn down their village that they'll listen to anything he says." Sokka replied.

"I doubt they think I'm going to trash their village." Naruto said. However, he wasn't so sure about that when he met the eyes of one of the glancing women before she flinched and quickly turned around.

"Well, what did they say to you after everything calmed down?" Aang questioned the blonde.

"The leader of their group just told me her name was Suki, I asked if it was okay if we could take a break at wherever they're from, and then she nodded and started walking off." Naruto said.

"That's it?" Katara asked.

Naruto lightly shrugged and nodded. "Pretty much," Naruto said before rubbing his chin in thought, "Although she was still really fidgety just like the others, more so when their village was brought up."

Katara sighed and looked ahead. "Hopefully we can straighten things out when we get there."

Sokka seemed to think to himself before saying, "We don't have to do that right away."

"What do you mean?" The blonde asked.

"Well, they are more likely than not terrified of you and will probably obey whatever you tell them to, so why not play overlord for a day?" Sokka replied.

"And exactly what would I get out of that besides striking fear in people that don't deserve it?" Naruto blankly asked.

"I'm not suggesting we rob them or anything, you know I would never want that. I'm just saying that maybe by your order we can, perhaps, have a little feast or two?" Sokka suggested with fake innocence and a spark of hope of his eyes.

The other three just gave the warrior a deadpan expression. "Just for food? Seriously?" Katara questioned.

Sokka crossed his arms. "Just throwing ideas out there! A guy sometimes just wants to more variety in his diet, okay?!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at his friend. "What we have is fine, Sokka. It's nothing to occupy a village over."

"You already destroyed all of the jerky with that ball of spinning death, the fruit from the air temple is gone, our reserves are wasted, and the only edible thing you can create out of thin air is ramen." Sokka said while patting his now slightly growling stomach from the thoughts of food.

"First of all, I already said sorry about the jerky. Second, any extra food, even the supply from the scrolls and my own stash, was devoured by you because you kept on complaining that you were starving. Lastly, what is wrong with ramen?!" Naruto ended with a shout.

The women ahead heard, but decided to ignore the yell not wanting to get on the shinobi's bad side.

"Not all of us can live on just ramen, Naruto!" Sokka yelled back.

"Blasphemy!" The blonde passionately retorted before looking at his other companions. "You guys are on my side here, right?"

Aang simply gave a small nod and smile. As long as he didn't have to defy his vegetarian lifestyle, he was okay, especially since the noodles were awesome!

Katara only shrugged in indifference. "Having something different once in a while is fine too," She began before lightly glaring at her brother, "But that doesn't mean we're going to take over a village because of it."

Sokka gave a small scoff and pout in return. "Fine, do what you want."

Katara lightly shook her head at her brother's antics before noticing the first signs of civilization in the distance.

"We're almost there." She noted with Naruto, Aang and Sokka nodding to themselves as they looked on as well.

From what they could see there wasn't much to behold. It's not like it was a big city bustling with activity, yet it still held its own unique ambiance. The main part where they assumed most of the populace resided was two lines of identical wooden buildings parallel to each other ascending uphill with a noticeably larger building at the top of the small slope. This two or three story building seemed to be a sort of meeting hall or perhaps even the home of the village leader, but they couldn't be exactly sure.

Behind the larger structure was a valley that continued miles away and was held between the large snow-covered mountains that made up a majority of the island. Dotted on what little they could see of the valley, on the surrounding hills both close and far, and whatever else was a part of the neighboring landscape were multiple wooden houses, all with a similar style in architecture. Some were different, however, since they actually passed a few family homes and even small farms that were sometimes cottages or some form of longhouse. From what little properties they passed, they could see that they were already drawing attention, but it wasn't surprising since they were strangers, wore different clothing, and were being escorted by their resident protectors who were prominently dirty and looked to have just gotten done with a fight. The worried looks on their faces, though, made their interest of the newcomers rise exponentially.

Seeing a giant furry monster casually walk by _may _have also played a small factor in their curiosity.

As their group neared the main part of their village they saw a small stylized wooden archway serving as the entrance. Connected on both sides of it was a basic wooden fence that expanded out until they reached the main left and right flanks where it met a large wall completely made out of connecting logs that were securely placed into the ground.

What really caught the group's attention, besides the gathering crowd in the open area, was a tall and painted wooden statue of an unknown person. They couldn't make out any distinguishable features since the figure's back was facing them and the paint was chipped and faded, but they did notice that the person proudly wore a similar uniform as the women guiding them and even held the same fans they saw earlier.

"Seems like a nice place." Aang commented.

His friends nodded. "Yeah, let's just hope that we don't get kicked out." Naruto replied.

It was at this point that the chattering of the crowd became more apparent to all of their ears. Nothing could be clearly heard, but the rise of volume and voices that joined in showed them that they were very much curious about their group. Seeing their eyes comically widen upon noticing Appa was pretty funny they had to admit. The children's eyes were more in awe while the adults were of caution.

All of the villagers seemed to wear very similar clothing. Their coats that kept them warm this winter could be somewhat compared to those of the Water Tribe except these locals looked to favor a lighter tone of blue. The only exception was the green-clad female fighters of their village's militia. An exact number of them couldn't be made, but there seemed to be a few dozen or so.

Eventually they all passed the archway and a voice spoke out above all of the rest.

"Suki, who are these people and what happened to all of you?" Said an old man at the front of the crowd. If it weren't for his stern gaze he would otherwise look kind and grandfatherly with his gray bushy beard and equally gray hair on his slightly balding head.

"Oyaji, we have run into a bit of a…situation." Naruto heard Suki say while his group stopped near the entrance.

Oyaji glanced at the young strangers. "I noticed." He simply replied.

"It's a little more serious than you might think…" Suki muttered.

The elderly man raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Suki looked to get a little more uncomfortable while trying to process what she was going to tell him before she turned and called over one of her fellow messy subordinates and whispered something into her ear. The unnamed girl nodded before rushing passed the chattering crowd and into one of the nearby buildings. A brief moment later she came back and handed Suki a rolled up piece of paper.

Suki nodded her thanks before unrolling it and presenting it to Oyaji. His eyes narrowed in confusion upon glancing at the wrinkled picture and looked back up to her in curiosity. He noticed her blue eyes appeared to be fairly desperate with a bit of fear in them.

Without speaking she simply pointed at the image on the paper before pointing to the blonde she escorted to the village.

Oyaji seemed a bit more confused before his wrinkled face paled and seemed to age before everyone's eyes. He shakily turned towards Naruto who actually began to happily wave at him with a bright smile.

Oyaji quickly turned back toward the young woman and whispered, "Suki…are you implying that he is-"

"Without a doubt." She quickly and quietly replied.

"And you fought?" He asked without much emotion.

Suki nodded her head and looked down. "None of us stood a chance."

A few drops of sweat rolled down the man's forehead. "What does he want?" He quietly asked.

"I'm not sure. After detaining the rest of his group he…well…sort of fell out of the sky…" She started before noticing his incredulous look, "I'll explain later. He then instigated a fight with us…we didn't get a scratch on him. He had his chance to strike us down, but all he asked was if he and his friends could rest here. I'm not entirely sure of all of his motives, though." Suki replied.

Oyaji nodded to himself and looked to be in deep thought. Well, if all the man wanted was for him and his companions to rest and nothing else, then who was he to deny him? If that's all that would come from this situation then he would say the island got off lucky. Not much was known about this man or where his allegiance was held, but if the eyewitness accounts of his abilities were anything to go by, then he would have to be extremely careful.

Coming to a decision the elderly man signaled to Naruto and his group to approach him. With little facial response the blonde made his way towards Oyaji and the rest of the villagers with his friends following.

"All you require is a place to rest?" The old man asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, if you don't mind. Sleeping on the ground for a couple of weeks straight gets a little uncomfortable." He said with a small smile.

"Oyaji, why are you letting them stay here? Shouldn't we be more cautious of outsiders?" One of the local shopkeepers sounded out from the front of the crowd. Those around him seemed to agree as they looked at the strangers more intently.

Oyaji turned to the man. "Just trust me."

"But what if they're from the Fire Nation?" Another random man asked.

"We can guarantee none of us are from the Fire Nation." Katara chimed in calmly.

"And how do you expect us all to believe- Koko, what are you looking at?" A random female warrior said as she interrupted herself and looked down at the brown-haired little girl standing next to her.

Naruto's group and the surrounding villagers all focused on Koko as she held a familiar paper in front of her face with a calculative eye. Oyaji and Suki's eyes widened before the latter quickly checked the side of her kimono where she thought she securely placed the bounty poster.

Was she just pickpocketed by a little girl?

"Hm? Oh, I just saw Suki and Oyaji looking at this, but it looked like they didn't want anyone to see. Then I saw Suki pointing to the guy with the weird yellow hair." The little girl innocently replied before handing the poster to the warrior that questioned her. "Why were they looking at that old picture of that demon guy, though?"

Oyaji, Suki, and the four others that were part of the earlier scuffle could only watch on helplessly as people gathered and looked at the poster. Many of them stared at the image before looking back to the man with the 'weird yellow hair' as Koko simply put it. One by one the villager's eyes widened as they started to make the connection from what their leader and Suki's actions hinted at and were severely hoping their crazy guesses were wrong.

One young man in particular looked to the old village leader and seemed to question him with his eyes as he quickly pointed back and forth between the poster and Naruto. While Oyaji didn't say anything, his averted and nervous eyes were enough to answer not only him, but the rest of the citizens that were observing.

Immediately the young man's eyes bugged out even more before he surprisingly started yelling out in fear and crazily waved his arms in the air. What Naruto and his friends didn't expect, though, was a large amount of foam to suddenly build up in his widely open mouth, making him look rabid. In the next instant his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he dramatically fell to his knees and then proceeded to land flat on his face unmoving.

No one really paid him any mind as everyone started backing away from Naruto in fear.

"_**Way to make a first impression. Remind me how you're going to unite everyone against the Fire Nation again?" **_Kurama suddenly piped in.

"_Shut up, it's a work in progress!" _Naruto mentally retorted.

"Look, none of us want any trouble. If you wish to rest here, fine, go ahead. Just please don't do anything that would harm anyone." Oyaji said in tired resignation.

Naruto sighed. "I can promise you that I never intended to cause trouble for anyone. I don't hurt people for no reason." He said holding his hands hoping to ease them all.

"Then why did you fight Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors?" Asked Oyaji.

The blonde looked a little sheepish and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, would you believe me if I said I was bored and haven't had a fight in a while?" He replied.

"I find that unlikely." The village leader blankly said back.

"Wait, they're named because of Kyoshi? I know her!" Aang suddenly shouted from atop Appa's head.

Oyaji looked to the strange and tattooed young man and lightly scoffed. "You mean you know _of _her. Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries!" He said in annoyance.

Aang gained a contemplative look before he looked at his friends. The silent question he asked them all as they looked at each other was met with shrugs and small nods. If the Fire Nation knew he was back and was hunting him down already, then why not start revealing his identity to those that should be friendly?

Aang cleared his throat and for once looked a little serious, although his face still held a small smile. "I know her because I'm the Avatar." He calmly said.

Everyone seemed taken back by his words.

Suki stepped forward. "That's impossible! The last Avatar was an airbender that disappeared a hundred years ago." She said with obvious doubt.

Naruto deadpanned at her. "And what exactly does he look like right now? He doesn't exactly fit the looks of an earth, fire, or waterbender. I mean, his freaking arrow is practically giving you directions."

She focused on the bald young man for a moment before looking a tad bit sheepish and blushed a little under the face paint. "That still doesn't prove anything." She said.

Naruto merely crossed his arms and turned to the airbender. "Do a thing."

Aang raised his eyebrow. "A thing?"

The blonde nodded. "An airbender thing. Y'know, a thing airbenders do. That type of thing. Do it." Naruto quickly replied as he looked at the young Avatar expectantly.

Aang mentally shrugged before standing up on his furry friend's head and slightly crouched as he proceeded to jump dozens of feet into the air with a gust of wind flowing outward. All of those not used to the sight were frozen in place with their jaws opening wide in shock as they watched on. Their gazes were glued onto Aang as he appeared to be a small dot in the sky before he ever so slowly hovered back down with his staff being twirled above him like a propeller.

Eventually he landed next to Naruto who was wiping away some of the dirt that got on his shoulder. Aang smiled at everyone and even got a small pat on back from Naruto for his efforts as the blonde addressed those around him. "See? The Avatar in all of his bald glory. That proof enough that we're friendly here?" He spoke.

"It's true then…" Oyaji muttered in amazement.

Naruto flashed him a grin. "Yeah, and the Avatar wouldn't travel with people that would hurt the innocent, right? Please tell me I'm right, I don't know much about the past Avatars."

Katara and Sokka finally felt safe to step in line with their friends.

"Right, the Avatar is the one that brings balance to the world and keeps the peace," Katara said to Naruto before looking at Oyaji with a smile, "Hi, I'm Katara, and this is my brother, Sokka. We hope that we didn't make a bad first impression. We were just stopping by to do something Aang wanted and Naruto didn't fight the others to harm them. He just has his 'moments' every now and then." She said making Naruto's eyebrow faintly twitch.

Oyaji, bringing down his shock a little, said, "Aang, Naruto?"

The airbender cheerfully waved. "I'm Aang, that's Appa, my sky bison, and this is Momo." He introduced his animal friends earning a groan from the beast in the background and a chirp from the lemur as he glided to his friend's shoulder.

Naruto then brought up his hand in a small greeting. "And I'm Naruto, the…what was it I heard? Demon guy? Where did you get that from?" He asked.

The shinobi then felt a tug on his pants and looked down to see the little girl named Koko holding the paper he saw earlier to him. Some of the people, especially the girl's mother, were silently having a minor panic attack seeing her confront the man. He didn't exactly calm their nerves yet, Avatar companion be damned.

The Kyoshi warrior that was holding the poster earlier for the crowd to see quickly looked down to her empty hand she was positive was holding something a second ago.

How the hell did she…?

"Is this really you?" Koko asked as Naruto took the bounty poster.

"Never seen one of these before. Let's see…highly dangerous…Purple-eyed Demon…ten times your own weight in gold for death or capture…enemy of the Fire Nation…Well, that explains it." He mumbled to himself before Sokka grabbed it and whistled to himself.

"Wow, the Fire Nation really doesn't like you." Sokka said.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Oh no, what ever shall I do?" He said sarcastically and looked back to Koko, "Yeah, I guess that's me. Afraid the demon or the guy with the weird yellow hair is going to bring death and destruction to your peaceful village?" He finished in monotone.

She cocked her head. "Are you?"

"Only to the Fire Nation, those that want to hurt my friends, and complete assho- I mean, people that are mean." He said hastily as Katara began to give him a threatening eye at the last part.

She cocked her head again. "Where's your purple eyes?"

"You want to see them? You sure you won't be scared?" He questioned.

She nodded excitedly.

He shrugged. "Alright then."

He crouched down to her level to give her a good look and shut his eyelids. Koko waited with a baited breath as she slowly saw Naruto reveal violet eyes with black rings that seemed to pulse with power. The little girl and those that were lucky enough to catch a glimpse were nearly hypnotized by their radiance.

Koko leaned in closer. "Wow…they're so pretty…" She whispered, "How do you do that?"

Naruto cracked a smirk. "Secret," He whispered back before looking to the crowd, "You Kyoshi warrior people should recruit this one! She's fearless!" He shouted before deactivating the Rinnegan and patted the girl's head as he stood back up.

This seemed to ease the tension as everyone got closer to the newcomers.

Oyaji found his voice again. "While it's still hard to believe, why are you passing through here and traveling with the Avatar?"

"We're on our way to the North Pole to get baldy here a waterbending teacher. This is all one big trip to get him to master the elements to eventually kick the Fire Nation's ass and end the war." Naruto said before getting flicked in the ear by Katara.

"Ow! What was that for?!" He asked rubbing his reddening ear.

She gave him an all too familiar look. "Language. There's kids around." She simply proclaimed.

"So much like Kya I swear…" He muttered while lightly pouting.

Ignoring the chastising, everyone besides Naruto's group were surprised at this. "You're going to end the war?" Oyaji questioned.

"That's the gist of it. For what happens in-between, we don't know. Anything can happen with this lunatic here." Sokka said while gesturing to Naruto.

"I should be offended, but there's a huge part of me that can't help but agree." Naruto offhandedly said with a shrug.

"With your alias I can't be surprised. Taking on an entire Fire Navy fleet by yourself isn't exactly something a sane person would do." Oyaji blankly said.

Naruto shrugged again. "Insanity every now and then keeps me sane, and those pricks deserved it anyway. They attacked the Southern Water Tribe which is where Katara and Sokka are from, so I just gave them a little slap on the wrist." He said calmly.

Everyone looked at him like he'd grown an extra head. Destroying multiple elite navy ships was a slap on the wrist?

"So that was why you attacked? Because they harmed their tribe?" Oyaji asked.

Naruto took on a more serious look. "Damn right. I didn't know anyone in the tribe at the time, but we all grew close after I arrived. Learning only a little bit about the Fire Nation made me dislike them, but it's when I found out why they attacked that really pissed me off." He said with a sneer.

"What were they trying to do?" Suki enquired.

"They were there for me." Katara said, getting everyone to look at her. "I'm the last waterbender from the South Pole and they were there to…um…make sure there wasn't any more benders." She said while looking down at the memory.

Sokka and Aang gained angry looks, especially from the former, and Oyaji and his people narrowed their eyes at the thought.

Calming down, Naruto said, "Thankfully no one was seriously hurt and the firebenders were repelled. That's why I attacked them later on down the road, not because I'm bloodthirsty, but because they screwed with the people I consider family. Hopefully this proves the point that we're on your side here. I don't attack those that don't deserve it and I especially protect those precious to me. That's why our group with the returning Avatar are going to set things right for everyone."

Oyaji nodded and slowly held out his hand to the shinobi. "Welcome to Kyoshi Island." He said with a grandfatherly smile.

Naruto and his friends smiled as the shinobi firmly grasped the island leader's hand and shook it.

All uneasiness seemed to withdraw from the atmosphere and everyone started becoming friendly once more. People started properly introducing themselves to the small group with cheerful greetings. While a part of them all, more so the adults, felt a little weary, they knew they could trust their leader's judgment. They didn't stay out of conflict for so many years by picking the wrong person to lead them after all.

Out of nowhere, though, the same young man from earlier apparently got a second wind, and after being filled in on the Avatar being there, he was back to his over-the-top reaction with foam filling his screaming mouth before he fell and started gurgling on the unforgiving ground.

All activity paused as they all blankly glanced to the twitching villager.

"Um…is he okay?" Sokka asked.

Suki sighed and looked at the prone guy with pity. "It happens…"

Sending each other questioning glances before shrugging, Naruto and the rest of the group continued their interactions with the villagers.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" A timid Aang asked as he looked across the clearing at Naruto.

"How much fighting experience have you had?" The blonde responded.

"Uh…" Aang sounded as he tried to think of any instance of conflict.

"Exactly." Naruto said as he stretched a little. "I think it's about time we got a little serious, especially since from what I understand, you pacifistic Air Nomads are taught to only use direct combat as a last resort. While that would normally be well and good, going on the offensive is going to be a more common thing now, so we need to polish your fighting abilities and be as prepared as possible. I've only seen you do some little airbending things every now and then along the trip, but now we got to get your skills combat ready."

"How ready?" Aang asked.

"As ready as you can be. We're heading into a war, so fighting is inevitable, especially since as the Avatar you're being hunted down and have a sort of obligation to handle threats to keep the peace in general. This doesn't mean you're alone in this. You know you got Sokka, Katara, and I watching your back and I'd say we make a kickass team." Naruto explained with a smirk.

Aang nodded and looked around at said team. A safe distance away was Sokka doing some light hand-to-hand sparring with a Naruto clone. From what he heard earlier they would eventually move on to using their weapons, Sokka his club and Naruto his kunai or sword.

A little bit away from her brother was Katara streaming some water around her body as a warmup to enhance her 'feel' for her bending. After a few minutes of repetition she would eventually start some of her own sparring with a waiting Naruto clone who was simply leaning back against a nearby tree.

Both of them seemed to work with plenty of energy despite having to train so early in the morning. The sun was barely rising and the air still held a cold crispness to it that was apparent with every visible breath. They had to make up for the day before due to traveling and the events that transpired when they landed on the island. More time out of the day was taken up from mingling about with various people and surveying the area for a while. When nightfall was approaching they would eventually be led to the big building to stay on the top floor. It wasn't fancy, but it had plenty of room for a few futons and had a nice view of the main village. Oyaji was even gracious enough to feed them that evening which they were all thankful for, especially Momo for his own pile of nuts and Sokka for obvious reasons. Appa wasn't left out, though, as he was guided to a cozy barn that was close by and was given all the hay he wanted before he turned in to rest for the night.

Being the Avatar's animal guide had its perks.

"So what are we doing?" The airbender asked with staff in hand.

Naruto then got into a position that made him look like he was bracing himself. "Give me your best shot. I'll take it head on." He said.

"What? Why?" Aang asked in surprise.

"I want to see what you really got power-wise. I've done this with everyone I helped train, Sokka and Katara included, just to gauge them when they go all out. After that is when we work on individual skills with sparring and exercises." Naruto replied.

The airbender nodded in acknowledgement and prepared follow Naruto's orders, but he was obviously hesitant in doing so.

Naruto saw this and said, "People aren't always going to be nice, and simply talking things out won't be an option. There are people out there that want your head, Aang, mine included, and possibly even Sokka and Katara when their association with us is found out."

Sokka suddenly stopped mid strike and quickly turned his head to the duo. "Wait, what do you mean people are going to- ah!" He shouted as his legs were kicked right under him, leaving him flat on his back.

"Never let your guard down." The Naruto clone said while looking down at Sokka, earning him a glare in return for his troubles.

Ignoring the small commotion, Naruto continued. "Anyway, I know your culture is against fighting and everything, but this is your opportunity to cut loose without being in an actual fight for your life. Don't worry about hurting me either. You know I've taken much worse than a blast of air." He said.

Aang nodded and got into his own position to prepare his attack. "If you say so." He said.

"Just think of something to motivate you." Naruto said.

"Like what?" Aang asked.

"Close your eyes." Naruto ordered with the airbender complying. "Alright, picture someone you care about and imagine them being distracted in a fight and are about to be struck down by some bandit with a sword going in for the kill. There is already blood on his weapon, no hesitation in his eyes, nothing in his way, and you are too far to get up in his face to intervene. The only way to stop him is to blast his ass away, no matter how bad he gets hurt. He's getting closer…closer…and you have to attack…now!" Naruto shouted.

Aang seemed to have a powerful imagination since his face was scrunched up with conflicting emotions before Naruto gave the green light to attack. When the last word was spoken Aang was already in mid-swing with his staff, its two rear fans popping out with air manipulation to give a boost of power. With a grunt of exertion Aang shot a strong gust of wind at Naruto's direction without opening his eyes.

Naruto was expecting to probably, at the most, be knocked down on his ass a good few feet behind him. What he got instead was a face full of Avatar fury and was instantly launched back crashing through the thick system of snowy trees without the chance of even letting a shout escape his mouth.

All activity stopped with Katara and Sokka turning to the damaged parts in the foliage where their blonde friend flew through.

Slowly opening his eyes, Aang saw that his training partner virtually disappeared from his spot. "Naruto?" He called out in innocent confusion.

Katara stared at the forest for a few seconds before shrugging it off. Naruto's done worse to himself training so there was nothing to really worry about.

Even if Sokka knew it himself too, it was certainly nice seeing Naruto being knocked around for once. "It's not so funny the other way around, is it you- ow! Come on, I thought we were on timeout!" Yelled Sokka now rubbing the growing bump on back of his head where the Naruto clone just whacked him lightly with the handle of his sword.

"No timeouts in war." The clone cheekily said with a grin.

* * *

The morning was just like any other at this time of year. Snowy slush was covering the ground and leafless trees in the surroundings, it was peacefully quiet, and the sun provided a beautiful glow to cast upon the island just as it rose behind the mountains.

Yes, this was the perfect setting for a good warmup run with her girls in Suki's opinion.

This was the usual ritual for the Kyoshi warriors as Suki and a dozen or so of her sisters-in-arms were jogging at a brisk pace down their standard pathway in the forest surrounding the main village. They were without their makeup at this point in time, not needing it anyway since they weren't in uniform, instead opting to simply wear light and loose clothing to make the workout comfortable. A little ways away behind them were some of the younger trainees being guided by a few of her subordinates. Since the trainees were obviously not experienced or well-trained, along with their ages being at their early teens, it's not hard to believe they wouldn't be able to keep up with the senior members such as herself. The cold morning temperature also played a part in making any physical activity a little more difficult, but it toughened the body and built character. Suki knew this; after all, she's been doing this since she was eight years old.

"Hey, Suki?" One her fellow warriors asked between fairly labored breaths.

"Yeah?" She replied looking over her shoulder.

"Not much was revealed yesterday after the Avatar's group showed up and I didn't really get a chance to talk to them. I heard you guys fought, but what exactly happened?" The girl asked.

"Just some stuff." Suki quietly replied as she looked forward.

"Really? Come on, you got to be able to give us more than that, Suki!" Another proclaimed.

Suki rolled her eyes. "Fine, while my group was patrolling near the beach we saw three strangers now known as the Avatar and the Water Tribe siblings, Katara and Sokka. Just as a precaution we had to confront them in order to question their presence here." She said.

"Did they put up a good fight?" One of the group questioned.

Suki shook her head. "They didn't fight at all. We completely surprised them and were able to detain them without any trouble."

"Then why did you and the other girls look like you got done wrestling a platypus bear?"

Suki sent an annoyed over her shoulder, making the still jogging girl who just spoke to hold up her hands in defense.

The leader sighed. "Everything was fine until that Naruto guy came flying out of the sky."

All of the girls raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought that was some kind of joke?" A girl in the back asked.

"Nope. The guy literally fell hundreds of feet from the sky and somehow didn't get injured whatsoever. Don't even ask how he did it because I have no clue." Suki said.

Despite their bewilderment, someone continued the conversation. "Um…so he's the one you all fought?"

Suki nodded. "Yes."

"Well, how did that go?"

Suki slightly flinched from her spot at the front, but still kept up the pace. "Uh…well…he sorta…destroyed us." She muttered just enough for them all to hear.

"Define destroyed…"

Suki heavily sighed. "We didn't get a hit on him at all. He fought us all at the same time, blocking everything we sent at him with our fists and swords with his own. He would bluntly hit us, nothing too damaging, and just wore us out until we couldn't fight anymore. It's like he wasn't tired at all. Even after everything calmed down when we saw his face, there was no signs of exhaustion or even sweat whatsoever!"

All of the women gained expressions of surprise and even some awe. "Are you serious, Suki?"

The warrior leader looked back at her friends very seriously. "Completely. That guy…is something else."

One of the girls hummed to herself and looked to the sky in thought. "So he's some sort of super soldier that can fall out of the sky like nothing, fight our best with no trouble, and seems to be a stamina freak." She looked to be contemplating to herself even harder at the last part. Those around her were curious of her thoughts, but eventually a very minor blush made its way onto her tan cheeks. Needless to say it wasn't hard to figure out where her thoughts were leading to.

"Ichi, focus!" Suki shouted, breaking the poor girl out of her trance.

The girl named Ichi nearly lost her footing, but was able to recover and send an embarrassed and sheepish look to everyone looking at her.

"Sorry…" She mumbled.

Everyone shook their heads in exasperation and continued forward to their usual finish line at their dojo. Although they'd be lying if some stray thoughts weren't now making their way to their subconscious…

As their speedy trek went on for a few more quiet minutes, they all suddenly heard some faint rustling noises to the left of the path. Suki held up her hand to stop everyone in their tracks as they listened on and tried to see the source, but couldn't clearly look through the thick forest. At first it sounded like a few twigs were being gently stepped on, but as time progressed it sounded like something large was stampeding through the forest.

Before they could react, a blur of black exploded through some branches, sending snow and small pieces of wood flying all around. Their clothing and hair swayed from the breeze that came upon them as whatever crashed to the other side of the path passed them.

Once the mystery object made a loud crash signifying its explosive stop, the Kyoshi warriors only blinked and looked to the path of destruction that went deeper into the forest to their right.

"Um…investigate?" Ichi asked.

"Investigate." Suki blankly commanded as they all calmly started walking on the newly made trail.

* * *

'_Welp...it's been a long time since I've been hit that hard…really should've stuck to the ground with chakra. Might be getting a little too lax over the years.' _Naruto thought with closed eyes as he sat messily in the snow against a now heavily cracked tree.

"_**It's pretty refreshing in a way and oh so satisfying. It gives a good sense of nostalgia from the good old days of getting your ass handed to you, doesn't it?" **_Kurama suddenly spoke lazily.

"_Not really, no…" _The blonde inwardly replied in monotone.

"_**I think it does!" **_Shukaku exclaimed and sounded like it sighed wistfully. _**"A blast of air, a bunch of broken wood launching everywhere; doesn't it just take you back to the chunin exam invasion? Good times…"**_

"_Uh…sure…whatever."_

"Is he dead?" A feminine voice sounded out, catching Naruto's attention.

"No, he's breathing. At least I think he is." Another voice said.

Wearily opening his eyes, Naruto was shown the sight of a group of young women all wearing similar workout clothing with the same tone of green that he'd started becoming accustomed to seeing in the last day. One of them in particular was closer to him to examine his state.

'_Huh…must've been hit harder than I thought if I couldn't even notice them. Damn, I'm getting lazy.'_

He lazily raised a hand up in greeting as his vision fully cleared. "Good morning, um, who are you?" He grumbled with a slightly strained smile.

"Uh…good morning?" Suki said back with a bewildered look. "And I'm Suki, the one you fought yesterday, remember? Are you okay?"

"Never better, and really? You look completely different without any makeup." The blonde stated.

"So I've been told…do you mind telling us exactly how you ended up like this?" She asked.

Naruto started to answer as he made his way back to his feet with Suki standing as well. "Well, I was just trying to see how powerful Aang was, and apparently-" He placed his hands on his lower back and stretched, popping it with a few audible cracks, "-Those tattoos aren't just for show." He said and sighed in relief as he got rid of some tension in his bones.

All the girls stared at him in puzzlement. "Well, anyone could've told you that. He _is_ the Avatar." One of them said.

Naruto shrugged. "Just because it's his apparent destiny to become powerful doesn't mean he's invincible at the beginning. He is an airbending master, I'll give him that, but there's still a lot for him to learn."

"From what I understand, you're all going to the North Pole for a waterbending teacher, right? Why doesn't that girl, Katara, just teach him?" Another asked.

"She's not exactly a master or anything. She's pretty good, but it's nearly all self-taught with years of messing around in the snow. Aang will most likely be able to do the same, but he needs a master." Naruto replied.

"And after that I'm assuming you'll teach him earthbending?" Suki questioned, remembering how he buried her and the others underground.

Naruto shook his head. "Negative. I'm not a master, and sure as hell not a qualified teacher of traditional bending, so we'll be heading around the Earth Kingdom for that I guess. We're just going to see what comes in our path."

"Really? With all the rumors of your power, I'd assume you would be a master of your given element." Suki said with her eyes suddenly lighting up in interest. "Speaking of your power, are any of those crazy things like replicating yourself and controlling gravity true? I've even heard about you suddenly teleporting from when you attacked those Fire Nation ships. And what about your eyes? How do they change color?"

Naruto smirked with mirth in his eyes. "A curious one, aren't ya?"

She sternly nodded her head with the girls behind her becoming very interested as well.

"Well, I'm not a master because of some special circumstances, I may or may not be able to somehow clone myself and control gravity, and about my eyes…I guess I'm just awesome like that." He finished offhandedly.

Everyone just looked at him blankly with no clear amusement at all.

"Not even a hint, huh?" Suki muttered.

"Maybe I can indulge a little bit." He said as he held out his gloved hands in front of him, gaining everyone's completer attention as they all leaned in to look closer.

With agonizingly slow speed that made the girls more and more impatient by the second, Naruto carefully maneuvered his hands close together and moved his fingers in an interesting manner. Right before their minds exploded from suspense, Naruto completed what he was setting out to do and proudly did the old childhood illusion of making his right thumb separate from its respective hand and move with his left hand.

"Ta-da!" He lightly cheered with a smile.

Once again they all looked at him blankly, but this time he noticed there was clear annoyance in their eyes and twitching eyebrows.

"Uh…ta-da?" He tried again with less enthusiasm.

"You are so lucky I know I can't hit you…" Suki said.

Naruto chuckled to himself. "Heh…sorry. Just messing with you. I actually-"

A sudden cracking sound grabbed his attention to the tree he was just sitting against behind him. With the damage it suffered from stopping a flying Naruto just minutes prior, it seemed to finally give out and slowly break apart at the impact location. Ever so slowly the tree snapped in two with the top half falling away from Naruto and the others before crashing down on the snowy ground with a loud crash that shook the earth beneath their feet.

The Kyoshi warriors stared at the fallen tree, then to the stump, and then to the blonde shinobi.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Suki asked, momentarily forgetting her frustration.

"Yeah, I'm fine. While it wasn't part of the rumors you've heard, one of my special traits is that I have a really, _really_ fast healing ability. And like I was saying before, I actually don't care what people know about me at this point, so I guess I can show some stuff at another time." He said.

"I'll hold you to that then." Suki said with a smile.

"Alright then. Now if you don't mind, I got to get back to training with the others. Have a good one, ladies." He said as he started to walk by the group of female fighters.

"What are you doing exactly?" Suki asked as he passed her.

Naruto suddenly started spinning a kunai that appeared out of nowhere on his index finger by using its ring on the handle. The blonde gained a devilish grin and looked back to her. "I just tested out how strong Aang's airbending is, and as you saw I underestimated him. Now I'm going to see how well he can evade." He said while now firmly grasping the sharp weapon.

The girls could only hope their returning Avatar wasn't hurt too badly.

"Also as a sneak peek, I'll leave you with this." He said as he somehow replaced the regular kunai with his three-pronged one. Not wasting another second he threw the unique weapon into a branch on a tree a little further away. Without warning he disappeared from his spot in a yellow flash of light and appeared where the kunai was just embedded, kunai now in hand. From his standing position on the branch, he couldn't help but smile foxily at all of their shocked faces.

With a final two-fingered salute he suddenly vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Where the hell did those come from?

With jaws agape and eyes shimmering in surprise, the group of fighters didn't know how to react.

"I swear he's going to drive me insane…" Suki managed to mutter.

* * *

"This is breakfast?" Naruto asked as a full platter was quickly set on the long table he and his friends were sitting on the ground next to.

In front of them was a myriad of baked goods that could make any small child hyperventilate in excitement. Pastries with icing and small cakes were prime examples of the wide variety of satiable sweets available to them.

With starry eyes and a grumbling stomach, Sokka looked at all of the food in childlike wonder. "This place is awesome!" He lightly cheered to himself.

His bald companion was in similar spirits. "All right! Dessert for breakfast!" The young Avatar exclaimed as he reached for one of the sugary treats close to him and immediately started digging in.

"Only the best for the Avatar and his friends." Said the man who served them with a smile and bow before he left them to their meal.

"Thanks!" Aang messily called out to the retreating man in gratitude with a mouth full of sugary dough, not noticing the hand of his lemur friend reaching from under the table to get his own fixing.

"It's a bit different, but that's not a bad thing." Katara said as she took a bite out of her own treat with a delightful smile.

"Definitely not a bad thing! This has been a dream since I was a kid!" Sokka cried as he started to stuff his face.

Swallowing his first bite himself, Naruto said, "We're not making this a habit. I don't need you all getting fat on me now. Besides, it's not like we can eat like this all of the time anyway. We're not going to stay here that long, that's too risky."

Aang waved him off. "We'll be fine. We can spend some time here no problem. Besides, they love me here! Haven't you seen how happy I'm making this village? They're even cleaning up Kyoshi's statue in my honor!" He said as he caught a glance out the open window behind him. The sight he was referring to was the small group of people huddling around their idolized Avatar's statue and cleaning any dirt and other kinds of gunk off of it. There was even an old man repainting the whole thing to give it its once prestigious appearance.

"Someone's getting a big head. Does a certain Avatar need a little extra training to get him thinking straight?" Naruto asked with a seemingly innocent smile.

Aang felt a shiver run down his spine. "Um…no, that's fine. I think I've had my fill for the day." He said with a nervous grin.

"Oh, does that mean you didn't have fun this morning?" The shinobi asked with his smile still present.

"Uh…was getting sharp and pointy things thrown at me for long periods of time supposed to be enjoyable? Because if it was, I think we have different ideas of fun." Aang replied.

Naruto wiped his of some lingering crumbs on his chin. "It's definitely fun, at least for me, and helps you learn to dodge projectiles better. Sokka, don't you think so? You've had some good times, right?"

Sokka rolled his eyes. "The only time it was fun was when we used snowballs for the same purpose years ago, and I was the one throwing them at other kids."

Katara's face grew a big grin at that. "I loved doing that too."

"That's because you could launch a bunch of them at all of us with your bending…cheater." Sokka mumbled which only got his sister to stick out her tongue in response.

"Why couldn't I get snowballs?" Aang asked.

"Because they were kids at the time. They're all grown up now and I'm not going to go easy on them anymore, especially not for you. Being the Avatar screwed you over on that one, bud, and you're old enough to handle it. This morning was only the beginning." Naruto responded as he calmly took another bite out of his cake with a malicious glint in his blue eyes that two of them had unfortunately seen before.

Aang sighed and saw that the siblings were giving him a resigned look and wondered what that meant. Sokka summed it up when, with faraway eyes lacking emotion, said, "There is no escape…no hope…only pain..."

Aang became increasingly nervous. "W-what?"

Sokka's thousand yard stare stayed on his face. "In time…they always understand in time…" He said as he took a much slower bite out his food as he glassily gazed on into space.

"Okay, Sokka, you're kinda freaking me out now." Aang whispered.

Katara sighed. "Let's just say that when Naruto wants to work you hard, you better give it your all…or else."

"Or else?" Aang inquired with a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"Just…do your best and don't question him, especially since this isn't kiddie training anymore for us, not like you ever went through it anyway." Katara warned with a small shudder.

Sokka's twitching eye certainly wasn't calming the airbender's nerves. "Snow…so much snow…why would penguins do that…?" He shakily muttered to himself.

Aang hesitantly turned to Naruto. The blonde had the same look in his eyes, but now had a carefree smile.

"Should I be worried?" Aang asked.

Naruto shrugged. "You'll see."

'_Great…' _The one that bore the arrow thought in trepidation.

* * *

"Really? The great and humble Avatar is actually doing that?" Naruto asked.

Katara rolled her eyes with a scoff. "He calls it being a simple monk apparently."

It was only about an hour after their sugary breakfast that found the blonde and the waterbender mingling around the village. They were currently checking out what the small shops and stands the community had to offer to replenish their supplies for their inevitable departure. Prior to this they had all taken turns washing away the sweat and grime from their morning training in the small bathhouse on the first floor of the building they were staying at and were deciding what to do for the day.

Aang's plans weren't too hard since he was quickly taken away by some of the younger fans he made on the island. These newfound admirers were mostly little girls around the age of eight and some in their early teens that practically screamed at the sight of the airbender.

Immediately annoyed by the high pitch of their joy, Sokka took off in a random direction saying he wanted to look around some more and maybe get an extra workout.

At the time Naruto was still getting ready, so Katara opted to wait for him and offer to start getting their supplies prepared, which he easily accepted once he emerged from the building.

Now while doing some shopping, Naruto and Katara were vacantly staring at Aang doing some armless pushups near the Kyoshi statue by blowing a strong stream of air out of his mouth, earning him some shouts and applause from his little female fanatics. The airbender easily ate up all of the attention with pride and had a big smile plastered on his face when he stood back up.

"Simple monk, huh? Well, I guess you can't really blame him. Even with someone of his title, he's still technically a kid who loves attention. Although it's been a long time since I've seen fangirls." Naruto remarked.

"I wasn't like that when I was a kid." Katara said, mostly to herself as she stared on.

Naruto snorted. "Uh huh, _sure _you weren't," He cleared his throat, "Take that, and that! Bow before my awesomeness as I rain down snowballs of death from the heavens, for I am the water goddess!" He mockingly exclaimed with poor imitation of his friend as he tried to speak with a high-pitched voice.

Katara blushed and roughly nudged Naruto's shoulder with her own. "I wasn't like that!"

Naruto chuckled. "You definitely had your moments. Every time you progressed at all with waterbending you always wanted to show everyone you bumped into."

The girl pouted a little. "You did too."

The shinobi shrugged admittedly. "You got me there I guess. I was a lot like that as a kid too, but that was when I was really desperate to get attention." He suddenly chuckled deeply as he thought of something. "You got to admit that some things just have to be shared. Remember the snowman army?" He cheekily asked.

Katara suddenly tried to fight a fit of giggles. "How can I forget? We learned to control dozens of snowmen to surprise attack dad when he was out in the dark." Some laughter then managed to escape her mouth. "I never knew his voice could get that high!"

Naruto laughed a little himself. "That was great, though I'm pretty sure I almost died of asphyxiation by laughter, Kya and Gran Gran too when we they found out. Totally worth it from how scared he got for a few seconds."

"The illusion that gave them all glowing eyes and creepy voices might've really done it in the end." Katara commented.

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, the Sharingan is just awesome sometimes."

"Hate to intrude your conversation, but are you going to pay for all of that?" A voice asked to the side of them.

Naruto and Katara turned back the middle-aged man running the vegetable stand they were next to. Looking down at the fairly large basket filled with many assortments of food in her arms, Katara said, "Oh, sorry. We were just distracted, of course we're going to pay." She looked to her blonde companion expectantly.

Naruto blinked and was silent for a second. "Oh yeah, right, right." Reaching around his back pocket he procured Gama-chan in all of her money-filled glory and took out a few gold pieces, placing them on the wooden counter.

The man took notice. "Oh, they aren't that much! That is way above their value." He said.

Naruto looked at the pieces in his hand and mentally waved it off. "Don't worry about it, just keep the change. It's not a problem at all."

The man's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"I insist." The blonde replied.

Gaining a grateful smile, the man said, "Thank you very much, um, Naruto, was it?" The shinobi nodded. "Okay, then Naruto, thank you. Such kindness is very much appreciated." He finished with a small bow of the head.

"You're welcome. Have a nice day." The blonde replied as he and Katara started to walk away to look around more for other potential shops.

"That was nice of you." Katara stated as she fell in step with the blonde.

"Yes it was. Trying to gain the favor of the locals, are you?" A new voice asked.

The two looked to their right and saw the leader of the resident warriors walking towards them fully decked out, makeup and all.

"Hey, Suki. Having a good morning?" Naruto asked as he and Katara stopped walking.

"Yes, although you certainly made it interesting flying through the forest like you did among other things. Other than that, everything else has been normal. The girls and I got our morning exercises done and now we're free to do whatever for now. Some are working on their forms back at our dojo while a few are on patrol." She replied earning a nod from Naruto.

"Hi, I don't think we've properly met, with the blind-folding and all yesterday. I'm Katara." The waterbender said with a smile as she held her hand out, the other firmly holding onto the basket of produce they just bought.

Suki smiled in return and grasped the other girl's hand with her own gloved one, giving it a friendly shake. "Nice to meet you. Like you heard, I'm Suki, leader of the Kyoshi warriors. No hard feelings about yesterday. We were just being careful."

Letting go of Suki's hand, Katara said, "Don't worry about it. It wouldn't have been much of an issue if _someone _didn't pick a fight for no reason." She said glancing at her favorite ninja with a mild glare.

The ninja in question merely put on an innocent front and suddenly found some birds in the sky interesting.

Suki looked at them in amusement. "It's okay, no harm done. Getting some food for your trip?" She questioned.

Both travelers nodded. "Yeah, we're really low on stuff we needed, so stopping here was pretty much necessary. Being able to rest a little is a plus too." Naruto replied.

"I only know that you're heading to the North Pole, but do you have anything else planned before then?" The battle-garbed women asked.

Naruto cracked a cheesy smile. "Nope."

Suki curiously raised a delicate brow. "Really?"

"We sort of thought being surprised by what appeared on our path would be more fun. Besides, none of us really know what's exactly out there. Naruto's the only one that's been out of the South Pole besides some of our warriors at Chameleon Bay. Even then he told us he didn't explore much." Katara said.

"I see. Well, that sounds fun. It's more about the journey instead of the destination, right?" Suki asked with a smile.

The waterbender gave her own in return. "Right. None of us have ever gotten the chance to travel outside our home and now we're going to go all over the world. It's great!"

Suki chuckled and looked at the blonde. "Going to leave a trail of chaos behind you, Mr. Demon?" She asked in mirth.

Naruto closed his eyes in thought and took on the look similar to a fox, something Katara was used to and never got tired of, and one that Suki would admit looked a little endearing. "Not sure. We haven't been traveling that long at all and so far we've dealt with the prince of the Fire Nation attacking the Water Tribe, finding an ancient temple of a destroyed culture and burying their dead, saw Aang go ballistic with his Avatar mode or whatever, experienced being chased by a giant sea monster in Aang's case, being smacked by it in mine, and fought a few warriors of one of the more sophisticated places we've visited. Other than that I'd say the trip hasn't been that eventful, but hey, you never know what'll happen." Naruto said indifferently.

An awkward silence filled the air and the white-faced warrior looked at him with a completely emotionless expression. "What?"

Naruto waved her off. "Stories for another time."

Suki continued to stare before shaking her head and gained a mischievous grin. "Anyway, now the reason why I came to find you." She stated earning curious gazes from the duo.

Without missing a beat, Suki turned around and faced the narrow alley between the two buildings she walked from. "You still have him?!" She yelled.

A couple of seconds went by before another Kyoshi warrior peeked from around the corner with her own silly grin on her pretty face. "Yeah, just give to the word!"

"No, don't give the word!" A worried voice yelled out from behind the building.

It was a voice that two of them knew well. "Sokka?" Naruto and Katara said in unison.

"There's no escape, you've got to honor the bet!" Suki called out.

"It was hardly a bet at all! Naruto, help me out a little! They've taken boomerang hostage! She's probably all cold and scared without me!" The young man desperately pleaded, still hidden from view.

"If you made a bet, you can't go back on your word, Sokka! You've learned that plenty of times with your poor track record over the years with your dad, Bato, and I!" Naruto replied.

"Come on!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Just face the music!" Katara shouted out, becoming increasingly excited for whatever happened to her brother.

"You heard her, bring him out!" Suki ordered to her underlings.

"Don't you dare drag me out there! I'm not going to- whoa, what's with the sword?! I thought this was peaceful!" Sokka worryingly yelled to another apparent Kyoshi warrior in hiding.

"Move!" Another feminine voice ordered.

"Okay, okay, fine!" Sokka responded with an audible and defeated sigh.

"I doubts it's that bad, Sokka! Just suck it up and- huh…didn't see that coming." Naruto trailed off.

Next to him Katara had her mouth wide open in shock mixed in with extreme amusement that showed that she was trying so hard not to burst out laughing. Her sudden surprise also almost made her let go of the basket of vegetables before hastily catching it out of reflex.

Now making his way to them with slow and begrudged steps was Sokka, or at least someone that sort of looked like the boy they knew so well.

Instead of his normally blue dominate outfit, he was now sporting one of the tones of green that the Island and the Earth Kingdom wore proudly. White face paint adorned his visage, golden tassels hung from his green headband, and the warriors' golden insignia was shining on his dark forearm bracers that went along with the rest of the sturdy armor that hugged the green kimono protectively.

Normally anyone wearing this would've walked with a sense of pride, but for Sokka it was a little humiliating. In his opinion the traditional uniform the rest of the women here wore was way too girly, which in retrospect wasn't too surprising at all.

As Sokka and the two other warriors that were meant to keep him from running joined the other three, Naruto held a calm façade. He didn't reveal any wavering emotion as the boy he saw grow up finally stopped in front of him with an embarrassed blush making its way through the white paint.

They all stood there in silence for a few moments, each passing second making the tension on the young tribal warrior's shoulders heavier.

When an unknown amount of time went by, Naruto calmly looked towards the happily fidgeting waterbender and evenly said, "Congrats, you finally got that sister you wanted."

Katara couldn't take it anymore and started to let out all of her contained laughter, making her sides ache and tears threatening to escape the corners of her eyes. Hearing herself being as loud as she was, she tried quieting herself down by planting her face firmly into the side of Naruto's chest, only somewhat muffling each giggle that escaped.

Naruto's let out some chuckles of his own as he instinctively wrapped an arm around Katara and lightly patted her shoulder as she tried to calm herself down, all while Sokka held his held down in shame.

Letting some time pass, Naruto finally questioned Sokka. "Okay, what happened?"

Suki quickly took control. "Oh, not much. Boomerang boy here found our dojo and wanted to see if he could break the guard of our fighting style after seeing us work a bit."

"And that's where the bet came from?" Naruto asked.

Suki and the other girls nodded. "Yeah, he said he could land a hit on the first try and we made a little wager."

At this point Katara finally managed to quell her laughter as she faced the others with Naruto's arm still around her shoulder, not that she really noticed; she's been used to such contact over the years. "And I take it he lost?" She asked while sending a satisfied smirk to her older sibling.

Suki's grin grew. "Yep. He tried to overpower me, but our style is made for that. "

Naruto looked at Sokka. "I guess we're just going to have to work on that then."

"So how long is he going to wear that?" Katara inquired.

Sokka flinched a little while the other warriors all smirked fiercely. "For the remainder of your time on the island." Suki revealed.

Naruto smiled amusingly. "That's awesome."

"So unfair." Sokka mumbled.

Suki looked at him. "Like I said earlier, you should be honored. Only those that have earned it usually wear these clothes."

"Yeah, yeah, can I please have boomerang back now?" He asked with a hint of sadness.

Suki rolled her eyes. "Fine." She said and looked to one of her girls. "Give it back."

One of the warriors reached into her kimono and took out the boomerang that was still secure in its sheath. She quickly tossed it without warning and headed right towards the back of Sokka's head. The girl was about to call a warning, but saw Sokka quickly snatch it out of the air without even looking before he started coddling it like it was his own child.

The warriors looked at this strangely before glancing at the other two curiously.

"The boomerang is practically a part of him so they're somehow always in sync. Don't question it." Naruto simply stated.

Before they could respond another voice shouted at them.

"There you are!" All of their heads turned and saw an eager Koko anxiously running towards them. Following close behind her was a group of her peers dragging Aang with them by each of his arms. He held his usual smile and didn't seem to protest at all.

"You looking for me, Koko?" Suki asked the small girl when she got close.

After stopping for a moment to catch her breath, she showcased an excited smile. "Actually, we were looking for him!" She proclaimed as she pointed a finger at the blonde shinobi.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why me?"

"Aangy just got done showing us some amazing airbending tricks, and he told us you can do awesome stuff too!" Koko exclaimed.

Naruto and Katara looked at the child for a bit before looking to their airbender friend. "Aangy?" They flatly asked.

Aang smiled sheepishly as Koko continued.

"So could you show us some stuff too?! Please?!" She begged with shimmering eyes.

"Aang already told you I would?" Naruto asked.

She nodded enthusiastically which made Naruto sigh in resignation. Sending Aang a mild glare, he decided. "Well, I don't want to disappoint a bunch of kids. Fine, I guess I can show a thing or two." He said making the children start celebrating amongst each other.

"In fact," Naruto started, getting everyone's attention on him, "Since the great and mighty Avatar personally recommended me, how about he helps me out with the demonstrations? A little friendly fight perhaps?" The shinobi said with squinted eyes and a shit-eating grin.

Aang's face lost a little of its color and he felt like he was about to break out in a sweat. "Huh?" He meekly sounded.

"Yeah, just a nice spar to pass the time and even help you improve a little. We didn't get to fight this morning, so I'd say this is a good excuse. That is, unless you want to say no and make children cry since their Aangy didn't want to entertain them?" Naruto said.

Aang became increasingly worried as he saw that all of his fans around immediately gave him looks that he just couldn't deny. Knowing that there wasn't any way he could get out of this, he tentatively nodded.

"Well, that settles it then. I remember there being a decent enough clearing near the entrance to the village, so we could hold the spar there. Does noon sound good?" Naruto asked.

Aang nodded once again. "I guess."

"Don't worry, no one's going to get hurt…hopefully. Just make sure not to hold back, you know I can handle it just as I know you can too. I already saw you can at least dodge pretty well from earlier." The blonde said.

The Avatar released a small breath and fought down a shudder from the recent memory of having kunai and shuriken thrown at him. "Fine. Let's not go crazy, though. We don't want to end up destroying anything."

Naruto nodded. "That's alright. We'll just take some shots at each other, but nothing too big…maybe. This is to show what we could do, and I already told Suki earlier I would show more of my more unique abilities. I won't go too hard on you with what I have, and this is a good opportunity to become stronger yourself by dealing with stuff you're not used to."

"Okay." Aang agreed.

With the spar now officially planned, Koko turned to her friends. "Get everyone else! We're going to see Aangy fight!" She ordered. The children nodded and took off in different directions to tell the rest of their close peers, herself following closely behind.

Suki followed suit and turned her subordinates. "Maybe we should let some of the other girls watch too. I'm sure they're just as curious as us." She said with a grin.

The two women matched her expression and took off in the direction of their dojo.

With only the five of them left, Aang was able to now look closely at the seemingly familiar Kyoshi warrior. "Wait, Sokka?"

"Ugh…yes…" Sokka confirmed in annoyance.

Aang's face was blank for a moment, but quickly turned into vast delight. "Nice dress." He said

Everyone else started laughing once more, continuing off from minutes earlier, while Sokka once again held his head in defeat, cursing himself for the finding the warriors' place of training.

* * *

"Okay, we need to lay down a few ground rules." Naruto proclaimed as he stretched his arm while looking across the clearing at Aang.

The airbender nodded, staff firmly held in his hands. "Like what?"

Naruto thought to himself a bit. "No killing shots, although that's more for me so go ahead and try whatever, no majorly injuring attacks, once again more so for me, when one of us wants to stop then we'll stop with no questions, no sage mode for me and no glowing Avatar mode of death for you since that would probably get out of control, though I doubt you can access it right now, and no hits where the sun doesn't shine. I don't want to accidently be the one that truly ends of age of the airbenders."

Off to the side Koko turned to Suki. "What does he mean by that?"

Suki mentally flinched and simply said, "You'll know when you're older."

Koko could do nothing but cross her arms and pout where she sat.

"That's pretty much it, really." Naruto said while readying himself. "This is just a friendly spar after all."

"And everyone else is safe?" Aang asked gesturing to their audience.

Naruto looked to his right where in part of the clearing were a few dozen spectators were sitting in what looked like bleachers he conjured up with some earthbending. The people he could spot were Suki and a fraction of her Kyoshi warriors with some not in uniform, Aang's fangirls, Katara and Sokka, and even some other villagers that had their curiosity's peaked; this included Oyaji.

"Don't worry, they'll be perfectly fine. I set up a barrier before they even got here. Watch." He said before taking out several shuriken and quickly threw them towards one young man in particular that he recognized as the guy that was foaming at the mouth yesterday.

When the guy saw the sharp and deadly stars launch towards him, his instincts kicked into action as his eyes widened to epic proportions and a scream started to emerge from his throat along with the bubbling froth. When he was about to go into full freak out form the shuriken suddenly bounced off an invisible surface, making them clink down onto the ground harmlessly.

Seeing the weapons fall still on the dirt, the man realized that he was frozen between calm and scared shitless. This became more obvious when he saw everyone staring at him with his mouth still wide open in fear, his body midway through a dramatic flinch, and bubbly drool leaking out the corner of his mouth. With nothing to go crazy about anymore, he very slowly closed his jaws and wiped away any foam outside his mouth before lifting the back of his shirt over his head like a hood hoping to hide his embarrassment.

"How did you do that?!" Aang yelled.

Naruto gave him a foxy grin in response. "The sealing arts are a powerful thing, my bald friend."

"Well, whatever it was, a little warning would've been terrific, you maniac!" Suki yelled. Seeing one of the people she was supposed to protect about to get hit with those weapons nearly gave her a heart attack.

"Sorry! At least you saw some cool stuff before the fight even started, right?" Naruto responded.

Suki stared out at him for a little bit before sitting back down and shaking her head in exasperation. Turning to Katara sitting next to her she said, "Do you have to deal with this all the time?"

The waterbender smiled sheepishly at her. "Not all of the time, but he does have his moments. You learn to love it eventually."

"Uh huh…" She muttered.

"You ready?!" Naruto shouted.

"As I'll ever be!" Aang replied back, his staff held ready to attack or defend.

Naruto smirked. "Good."

Once the word left his mouth he quickly threw a kunai to get things started.

Aang easily saw the deadly piece of metal fly at him and went into action himself. Focusing his airbending on the bottom of his feet he launched himself into the air, allowing him to front flip right over the projectile. As he descended he grabbed his staff with both hands and struck it down on the ground in front of him when he landed to send a powerful burst of air at the shinobi in retaliation.

Seeing the visible stream of air race at him, Naruto firmly planted his feet on the hardened winter ground before he used both arms to will a wall of solid earth a few feet taller than his person to appear in front of him, blocking Aang's attack and only slightly ruffling Naruto's hair as the winds blew around him.

Any experienced shinobi could tell this was like Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall), but to regular earhbenders, it was merely a simple wall of protection. When it came to using elemental jutsu Naruto was able to replicate them easily enough with his bending, the exception being lightning since there was only four main elements in this world, although he's heard that controlling lightning was connected to firebending, but he hasn't been able to look into it yet.

With Naruto able to replicate the jutsus through bending, he didn't have to focus on making hand seals or naming the method out loud in order to use them. He only had to control the element to his liking of the known technique and was able to perform it after some practice. However, since his chakra now coincided with chi in his body, the energies to bend and use jutsus simply mixed and made all techniques something more. This caused any otherwise normal forms of jutsus and bending to be enhanced in their own ways due to chakra now working alongside the chi in order to execute them. As a result jutsus, at least the elemental types, were created and controlled easier by bending, and were simply more powerful. Even regular forms of bending he could pick up that weren't jutsus had a little more bite to them. In this case the protective wall was not just earth that could be controlled and knocked down by any competent earthbender, but was now sturdier and was only able to be controlled by Naruto unless a majority of his energy left the respective elemental object.

While being hit by a blast of air wasn't the best way to showcase the strength of the wall, it would be able to hold its own around twice as long as any regular wall bended similar to it.

Feeling the attack pass over, Naruto had the wall sink back into the earth where it came from. "Nice try." The blonde said.

While Aang didn't show it, he was slightly annoyed by the failure of the attack. Blasting air was practically his entire arsenal, so his efforts being waved off like it was nothing was pretty disconcerting. He really wished he had other elements he could call upon on like he was eventually going to, but for now he had to do with what he had.

Not wanting to waste too much time Naruto made ten small boulders lift from the ground all lined up next to each before launching them at his opponent with each punch he threw forward, using both arms periodically.

Aang hastily dodged the incoming rocks by quickly moving aside to let some pass, along with sending a concentrated stream of air at others to slow them down enough to fall or change their flight path.

When the last rock was taken care of Aang started to rush in and sent sharp arcs of his respective element as he did so.

Opting to not use an earth wall to protect himself, Naruto instead weaved around them and dodged in a myriad of ways such as ducking, jumping, and rolling out of the way. Now crouching on his knee the blonde saw Aang closing in fast and held his hand out before clenching his fist.

This brought the desired effect of making the ground in front of the airbender quickly turn into sand, although it was certainly faster than he expected. The hard dirt shifted into its softer material so fast that Aang nearly maneuvered around it, but unfortunately for the young Avatar he barely got a foot buried into it before he had a chance to jump over the trap.

Not wanting to be stuck in the sand trap Aang shot air through the sole of his captured foot and shot himself backwards, sending a few clouds of dirt to manifest in the air.

Seeing a newfound weapon, Naruto summoned three fairly large blobs of sand and had them floating in front of him ready to use for whatever his mind could conjure up.

'_Huh, it's not that big of a difference, but the sand is actually easier to control.' _He thought.

"_**You're welcome." **_He heard Shukaku say.

"_You're helping my control? Actually that's not hard to believe, what with your experience with Gaara and all."_

"_**Indeed. In fact, I'm feeling a sandy funeral is in order for nostalgia's sake. Sound like a plan, Uzumaki?"**_

"_Uh, no…I don't think killing Aang is exactly a good idea here. This is only a spar. Besides, he was the one that taught me that marble trick you like so much."_

"_**Oh yeah…he shall be spared then."**_

Naruto rolled his eyes. _"Glad I have your noble permission to not kill my friend." _He sarcastically thought.

"**As you should be."** The sand demon said before going back to whatever it was doing before, the sarcasm going clear over its head.

Focusing back to the fight Naruto sent the three bodies of sand right at Aang, one right down the middle while the other two went to flank him on either side.

Seeing the new threat at hand Aang quickly made the fans in his staff emerge, turning it into a glider, and shot off straight into the sky.

However, his hopes of getting away from the sandy threat were shattered when he looked behind him and saw that he was now being pursued. What he didn't expect was for the bulks of sand to join together to create something that looked much more threatening.

"Wow, it's a dragon!" One of the children yelled in awe from her seat among the onlookers.

She wasn't the only one to be impressed and somewhat fearful of the reptilian-like beast. Those that weren't used to seeing feats such as this were truly enamored by the sight. Even some of the very few earthbenders on the island in attendance watched this with slacked jaws.

Anyone would've been enraptured by the look of the beast, really. It had a large snout with flared nostrils that would've released fire if it was an actual dragon, two long tendril whiskers waving on said snout, sharp teeth within massive jaws that could easily gobble up the flying airbender, hollow black holes where its eyes would be, two arms with clawed hands on its underbelly, and large graceful wings on its back perpendicular where the arms emerged. This was where the biggest details of the dragon ended since its lower body was one big trail of loose sand that followed its every movement.

On the ground Naruto stood there with a fair amount of concentration showing on his face, but with a smirk plastered on it nonetheless.

'_Ah, it's great to fuck with people sometimes.' _He thought when he was able to slightly pick up a yell of fright as it echoed in the sky.

He wasn't really going to hurt him at all with his intimidating creation, he just wanted to see what Aang would do.

In the air with comically widened eyes, Aang flew in whatever direction to get away from this sudden monstrosity that looked like it wanted to eat him. He looped, zigzagged, and went in whatever kind of direction in the open airspace that he could think of to get away, but none of it was helping.

Just seconds away from possibly giving up on the fight, Aang's eyes lit up before he quickly shot right towards the blonde on the ground, the dragon following him just as fast.

'_Alright, something different.' _Naruto thought wondering what exactly the airbender would do.

As Aang closed in he used the velocity of his descent to his advantage and retracted the larger fans on his staff. Grasping the front end of the device, he sent a mighty swing that launched a noticeably large blade of wind down at blonde by using the small fans that were still open for use. Right after he executed the attack he quickly made his staff a glider once more and headed towards his starting spot in the clearing to immediately land.

Having to break his control over the sand to deal with the plunging attack, Naruto gave a large smile towards his friends, one they, including Suki, caught.

'_Well, they wanted to see some crazy stuff, well, besides the barrier and dragon at least, so might as well get started.'_

Looking back up to the coming threat Naruto got into proper position before sending out a huge gust of wind reminiscent of Fūton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough) as it was supposed to and met Aang's attack head on.

Suki instantly stood up in shock along with a few others. "He can airbend?!" She shouted in disbelief.

They all watched as opposing forces crashed into each other momentarily before snuffing out altogether. It was right after both of the wind attacks disappeared that the now crumbling dragon was just about to impact on the ground with of all of its heavy weight at a fast speed, and with Naruto clearly in its path.

"Naruto!" Suki and a few others in the crowd, even Aang from where he stood, called out in alarm right before the dragon smashed right where the shinobi was standing, exploding in large clouds of sand and shaking the area violently.

Everyone in attendance could do nothing but try and hold themselves in place as the quakes in the earth and the dirt in the air receded. The time it took for this to happen felt like hours as they were all standing in attention safely behind the invisible wall of protection. As their view of the temporary battlefield started to become clear they were able to see numerous piles of uneven sand covering where the blonde formerly stood.

Suki nervously tried to gauge the situation in order to figure out what to do next when she noticed Katara and Sokka, the latter still garbed out in their traditional uniform, sitting as calm as could be with no trace of worry on their faces.

The siblings noticed her anxious expression and in unison pointed towards Aang.

Suki turned to the airbender and was quickly surprised.

"What the…?" She let out.

Others noticed and looked where she was and gained startled expression themselves.

Aang saw them all looking at him weirdly with the exception of the water siblings and didn't know what to make of it. For a second he only stood there until he was startled by a tap on his shoulder and jumped forward in a jolt before turning around.

Naruto was standing there with a stupid grin and crossed arms.

"Naruto? Wait, what- you- I thought…?" Aang stammered.

"Are you honestly surprised?" Naruto asked flatly.

Aang stared at him for a little bit before sheepishly saying, "I guess I really shouldn't be. I just expected you to jump out of the way or something."

"Oh I did, but I did it in a way that wasn't completely boring. We're sorta putting on a show, so I figured why not make it more dramatic?" The ninja shrugged.

"Uh, okay? Um, are we still fighting?" Aang asked.

"Oh yeah," Naruto said with a smirk just as he decided to lift up his infamous facemask securely up over his nose, "And it's time to get a little more serious." The blonde turned towards the crowd. "Prepare your fragile hearts!" He shouted.

"What does he mean by that?" Suki muttered to herself.

Koko scoffed. "Maybe you'll find out when you're older." She uttered causing Suki to send her a pointed look which the small girl ignored.

"Now then," Naruto said as he jumped back a ways away from Aang, leaving some space between them, "Time for some diversity."

The masked blonde cocked his fist back and shot a fireball at the unprepared Avatar.

Eyeing the ball of flames in surprise, Aang quickly moved to the side to let it pass, feeling the warmth it gave off as it did so. To him it seemed the small attack was a mere warmup…no pun intended.

"Fire too…" Suki whispered as she plopped back down onto her rocky seat. "What in the world is going on…? Is he the Avatar…or a co-Avatar…or…or…?"

"He's definitely not the actual Avatar." She heard Sokka coolly say. "That title officially belongs to Aang. Naruto's something different; someone you'll be extremely grateful to have on your side."

"Then what is he?" Suki shakily asked.

Katara smiled without looking away from the spar. "He's Naruto."

A few more fireballs were sent towards Aang who, with a small bit of effort, was able to dodge around them. Not wanting to be the only one attacking, the Avatar fired his own bursts of his respective element at the shinobi once the last bit of flames passed him by.

Naruto did some dodging and weaving as well and met Aang's barrage with his own fire one. Both elements never really made any contact on either of their bodies or had any outward effect, only swaying the blonde's hair and clothes, and heightening the temperature around Aang.

After exchanging blows at each other long enough in the blonde's opinion, Nartuo sent a particularly larger wave of flames by delivering a sweeping kick in the air.

Noticing how dangerous it would be to dodge, Aang held both palms forward and tried to overpower the incoming flames with a tunnel of wind.

The forces met powerfully against one other and fought for dominance for a mere second before the stronger attack from the Avatar was able to keep it at bay. Although, since wind normally fuels fire the flames from the shinobi's efforts burst in the air and created a temporary wall of red and orange before disappearing in a quiet roar. However, that's all Naruto needed as a distraction before he was in the air high above Aang thanks to a chakra enhanced jump.

Without hesitation Naruto started throwing pieces of metal that gleamed in the sun down towards his bald adversary. Aang was getting ready to move at a moment's notice but was confused when he wasn't necessarily the target of the weapons.

One after another, Aang saw the objects Naruto threw sink deep into the ground around him. Five impacts total was what he counted and saw that they completely encircled him. From Naruto's point of view he could see that the kunai he let fly to the earth came together in the shape of a star.

When Aang looked at them closer he recognized them as kunai, something he was growing a fear of because of the earlier morning, which normally wouldn't be much of a problem, but the instant he saw they were the ones with the three blade design he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

Those feelings were with good reason as in the next instant Naruto's body vanished from the open sky in a flash of yellow and appeared at the kunai facing Aang's front.

What happened next was what really got the Avatar's adrenaline pumping. Upon reaching one of the five points he set up, Naruto starting going on the offensive by relentlessly sending waves upon waves of attacks, teleporting to another spot after each one. Naruto didn't go too hard on his friend, but he didn't let him get a breather either. More fireballs, small boulders, bursts of air, and even bullets of water were added into the nonstop onslaught.

Totally ignoring the distant cry of 'Water too?!' the two continued their squabble. Aang was using every bit of whatever acrobatic ability he held as he did his best to escape harm from every single thing Naruto propelled at him. When he saw there was no hope of dodging, he would send small blades of wind to negate the attacks altogether, or like earlier, at least make them change their course of flight. He was doing valiantly so far, and lasted longer than what Naruto thought, but eventually he knew the young Avatar would tire himself out. Aang obviously knew this as well when sweat started to drench his face and his movements became more sluggish. Looking at him, it would only take one little mistake to end this spar.

This mistake soon came when one of his shots of air missed Naruto's own which resulted in him losing his footing and being pushed back a few feet by his own element. With his guard and focus briefly lowered, there was no chance of getting out of the way of an oncoming boulder careening for the middle of his torso.

Once the small ball of rock impacted, Aang was harshly bashed back, getting the air knocked out of him and forcing him to let go of his staff. His orange and yellow-covered back slammed into the ground before his body rolled a few times from where he impacted. Once his movement stilled, a small audible groan escaped his mouth as some of the pain now became apparent with adrenaline no longer streaming through his body. Feeling his sore limbs and even sorer chest, he knew he'd definitely feel this in the morning.

"I think it's safe to say we're done for today." He heard Naruto say next to him. It was a little hard to see the blonde from his prone position, but that was only because the bright sun was shining directly behind him, letting a few rays shine down into his eyes with every movement. He could, though, pick up a grin on his now uncovered whiskered face.

"Yeah," Aang's voice was slightly strained, but gave his best smile nonetheless, "Sounds good."

Naruto gave him a throaty chuckle in response as he helped his friend to his feet.

"Ow!" The duo heard from where the spectators were. Turning their heads they saw Sokka now out of his seat and holding both hands over his nose as his eyes clearly showed he was in pain. Katara was standing next to him shaking her head in what looked like disappointment and even some embarrassment.

After a moment Katara met Naruto's eyes and pointed to her brother with one hand while knocking the air in front of her with the other.

Getting the message Naruto said, "Oh yeah."

Forming a hand seal and a mutter of 'Kai' the barrier deactivated and allowed everyone behind it to approach the former combatants.

"Enjoy the show?" Naruto asked with a foxy smile.

"Yeah!" The children chorused before anyone else could get a word in. That seemed to break everyone else's silence as Naruto was suddenly bombarded by a wave of voices. Obviously Naruto couldn't reply to anyone specific since most of their ramblings were incoherent, so after a few seconds of being yelled at he held up a hand and managed to get everyone to become silent.

"Okay, good. I know what you saw was _way _out the ordinary and that you have questions, but you have to ask them one at a time." The blonde stated.

The crowd looked at each other not knowing who would go first, so Koko took it upon herself to get her shot in when she could. "How can you bend more than one element if you aren't the Avatar?!"

With everyone's attention on him Naruto had to take some time to think of how he would answer.

"Well…while I don't care if people know I can do this, it's the _how _that I'm kinda hesitant about." Naruto

"Why?" The girl asked with innocent eyes.

"Because it's not really something any regular person can properly understand. And those that can are the people that I completely trust and allow to know about my secrets, secrets that can't be comprehended unless I help in a…let's say, _special _way. Right now that's only Aang and the rest of the Southern Water Tribe."

"What do you mean by special?" Oyaji added.

Turning toward the village leader, Naruto said, "Well, it's by use of one of my more complicated techniques. This particular technique, though, requires me to use my eyes to make it work."

"Those purple ones?" Oyaji replied.

Naruto blinked and sheepishly smiled at him. "Uh…actually…it requires the other set."

"Other set?" Suki questioned.

"Yeah…um…I'll just show you. No harm done in showing I guess." The blonde said as he sent chakra to his eyes, changing the sapphire color to a deadly red.

Everyone was once again shocked by something the blonde showcased. At this point they honestly weren't sure if their hearts could take anymore phenomenon being witnessed.

"I…um…" Suki didn't really know what to say.

"For your sanity, don't look to deep into it. The less questions the better. If you wanted to know everything about him, you wouldn't have time to live your own life." Katara said while nudging the shaken Suki in the shoulder.

"Uh…okay…but what technique did he use on you to help you understand?" She managed to ask the waterbender.

"Once again that's something only those I deeply trust can know." He said with an apologetic gaze, enrapturing everyone further with its crimson color.

She nodded, not minding his secrecy at all. The things this man could do practically demanded some anonymity. Not wanting to become crazy just to sate her curiosity helped too.

"Back to using all the elements, I guess I can say that my chi is unique. I'm the only one with the kind of energy I hold, I'm sure, which allows me to do what you saw. It's a lot more complicated than that, but like I said there's information has to be withheld." The shinobi said.

"Isn't it just like the Avatar's chi, though?" A random villager probed.

"No, it's still different from Aang's. We can both bend multiple elements, but only I can do those other things you saw."

"What were those abilities? The two that you used to escape from being hit by the dragon and moving around like that at the end of the fight?" Asked Oyaji.

"That would be the Shunshin, or body flicker for the dragon, and the Hiraishin at the end. Both require my unique kind of chi and allows me to move to places pretty much instantaneously, but the Hiraishin requires special seals for its use like the ones on the kunai you saw me throw. They act as a beacon for me to go to and also covers a lot more ground to travel to than the Shunshin."

"How much more?" Suki asked.

Naruto smiled foxily. "Anywhere the world."

And there goes everyone's shocking reactions again. _'Maybe I should stop before their minds snap?' _The blonde thought.

Naruto coughed into his hand. "So, um, anything else?"

"How were you able to beat Aangy?" One of the other little girls asked.

Aang slightly blushed and a few people managed to break out of their shock to laugh a little.

"Aang isn't used to fighting yet, and hasn't been trained to use any other elements besides air. With my experience and abilities, he didn't really have much of a chance. No offense, Aang." He said looking at the airbender.

"None taken." He said while rubbing his chest.

Naruto took notice. "Still hurt?"

"A little, but it's not bad." Aang responded.

"Here." Naruto said as he walked in front of him and put a green glowing hand onto his chest. Feeling the healing chakra flow through his body Aang couldn't help but sigh in relief.

"Thanks." He breathed out as the soreness left him.

People looked like they were going to question the act, but were cut off by Sokka's current nasally voice. "Healing abilities too. Don't question it. You'll sleep easier."

Hearing the sound of the young man's voice, Naruto asked, "Need some of this too?"

Sokka poked his throbbing nose. "Yes please."

After lifting some pain away from Sokka's face the questions didn't go much farther than what was already asked. The big ones were taken care of and everyone not in cahoots with the Avatar's group felt like their minds had taken enough trauma for the day.

All that happened for the rest of that afternoon was some idle chatter as they made their way back to the village. Once they got there everyone split off and went about their daily lives, most of them going to prepare lunch.

For Naruto and his friends, they joined Suki and some of the other Kyoshi warriors at a small teahouse to have their own lunch. The comforting tea and small bits of innocent conversation was just what they, especially Suki and her girls, needed to relax their minds.

Not much happened for the rest of the day. More shopping was done for the coming departure from the island, when exactly, Naruto wasn't sure, but would be within the next few days. Aang was also dragged away by his fangirls again, but was warned by Naruto that if he saw him getting a big head from the attention, he would be humbled by another spar.

Needless to say, Aang was determined to only see this as spending time with new friends instead of trying to feel on top of the world like in the morning.

The Avatar wasn't the only one to be approached by a group of excited children, though. Naruto eventually found himself surrounded by a group of his own fans and was asked to play with them. Seeing the looks they sent him made it impossible to say no, so he agreed and spent the next couple of hours showing some little bits of bending and participating in games like hide and seek. He even dragged Katara with him since she didn't have much to do.

Sokka spent the rest of his day in the room where they stayed due to overeating at the teahouse and upsetting his stomach. This didn't kick in until after Naruto left with the kids, so he couldn't get him to use some of his healing magic.

That's how he found himself laying on his futon for the remainder of the day and through the night along with a near comatose Momo who overindulged himself with the various sweets that were left behind on the table.

Naruto, Katara, and Aang eventually came back to their room when it was getting dark. While they were curious of the out of commissioned Sokka and Momo, they didn't pay them much mind before they relaxed for a while and eventually turned in to sleep.

* * *

Anyone would agree that the return of the Avatar after a century would be pretty big news, especially since the world has been plagued by war in the same timeframe. The Avatar travelling with the infamous Purple-eyed Demon and seemingly cooperating with each other would be even bigger news.

That's why it comes to no surprise that such information would hardly be tightlipped, if at all. Upon reaching this stage in what is guaranteed to be quite a journey, Naruto and his group would be lucky if word about their position didn't reach the wrong ears within several days.

Unfortunately, due to the glorious efforts of a small girl native to Kyoshi Island spilling the beans to a local fisherman, who in turn told a shopkeeper at a port town he had to travel to in order to sell his wares, who then spoke to a man in red attire he sold his fish to, who _then _told his notorious boss upon their metal warship, such precious information couldn't be withheld long enough to make it to a few days.

It didn't even make it to one.

"The Avatar is on Kyoshi Island?!" A scarred young prince shouted in astonishment, his fish dinner momentarily forgotten.

"Yes, Prince Zuko. From what I've heard, the Avatar arrived on the island just this morning." The man who brought the food coolly said as he bowed.

Zuko nodded with his face blank, but there was an obvious hint of satisfaction held within his eyes. "Leave us." He ordered.

The server bowed once again and left the metal room with a semi loud clank as he securely shut the heavy door.

"You're going to go after him?" Iroh asked from his seated position.

"What do you think? We have to take advantage of any possible chances of capturing him." Zuko replied.

"And what of _that _man? You just heard that they're travelling together, like we saw further south. Do you really think you'll be able to face him?" Iroh carefully asked, hoping his nephew would really take his decision with the utmost of care.

"I'll figure something out!" The prince retorted with a snarl on his face. Just the thought of what that man did with that mysterious power didn't exactly calm his nerves.

"And you're sure of this?" The former general questioned.

"Of course I am! Ready the rhinos for our arrival to the island. I'm letting the Avatar get away this time and I'm not letting some _demon _stop me!"

* * *

"Is what you say accurate?"

"Yes sir. Just moments ago a messenger hawk sent by our man on Zuko's ship delivered news of the Avatar's whereabouts. It seems that all of our suspicions of the Avatar travelling with the Demon are almost completely positive."

"Is that so? And Zuko is surely to pursue his target?"

"Yes sir."

"Excellent."

"Your orders?"

"Prepare my ship to immediately set a course for Kyoshi Island. I'll decide if we need larger support later. Prepare yourself, we have an Avatar and a demon to deal with."

"Yes, Commander Zhao!"

Chuckles of satisfaction left the commander's mouth as he saw one of his soldiers leave his barracks to carry out his orders. With fingers interlocked under his chin as he gazed upon the map on his desk, he couldn't help but smile dangerously.

"The Avatar, a demon, and a banished prince all in one place. Things just got a _lot_ more interesting."

**Chapter End**

**AN: Wow…it's about time I got something out…damn.**

**Sorry everyone, but when the brain's running empty on ideas, there isn't much I can do. All I can offer is my apologies for making you all wait so long. I wanted to get this out on its one year anniversary, but sadly that's not how it happened :P**

**Don't have much to say except for a couple of things.**

**Be prepared for whenever an update comes out. I have no schedule at all and I'm going to be pretty busy soon with my second year of college coming up.**

**I also want to give you all a big thank you for the support you've all shown! Seeing how much of a following this story has is insane! I never imagined this story would grow to what it has over the past year and it's simply amazing! **

**So thank you all, readers old and new, because you make this so much more enjoyable! I just hope that this chapter sates your hunger because I honestly don't think this was my best. If you like it, yay! If you don't, oh well, life goes on.**

**Oh, and if you would be so kind to leave a review, that would be very much appreciated ;)**

**Just keep on keeping on, my lovelies, and have a great morning/afternoon/evening/whatever the hell you're doing!**

**Until next time you beautiful people!**

**Later!**


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